Proverbi 6

1 FIGLIUOL mio, se tu hai fatta sicurtà al tuo prossimo, Se tu hai toccata la mano allo strano,

2 Tu sei allacciato con le parole della tua bocca, Tu sei preso con le parole della tua bocca.

3 Ora fa’ questo, figliuol mio, e riscuotiti; Poichè tu sei caduto in man del tuo prossimo, Va’, gittati a’ piedi de’ tuoi amici, e sollecitali.

4 Non lasciar dormire gli occhi tuoi, Nè sonnecchiar le tue palpebre.

5 Riscuotiti, come un cavriuolo di mano del cacciatore, E come un uccello di mano dell’uccellatore.

6 Va’, pigro, alla formica; Riguarda le sue vie, e diventa savio;

7 Conciossiachè ella non abbia nè capitano, Nè magistrato, nè signore;

8 E pure ella apparecchia nella state il suo cibo, E raduna nella ricolta il suo mangiare.

9 Infino a quando, o pigro, giacerai? Quando ti desterai dal tuo sonno?

10 Dormendo un poco, sonnecchiando un poco, Piegando un poco le braccia per riposare;

11 La tua povertà verrà come un viandante, E la tua necessità come uno scudiere.

12 L’uomo scellerato, l’uomo da nulla, Procede con perversità di bocca.

13 Egli ammicca con gli occhi, parla co’ piedi, Accenna con le dita;

14 Egli ha delle perversità nel suo cuore, Egli macchina del male in ogni tempo; Egli commette contese.

15 Perciò in un momento verrà la sua ruina; Egli di subito sarà fiaccato, senza rimedio.

16 Il Signore odia queste sei cose; Anzi queste sette son cosa abbominevole all’anima sua;

17 Gli occhi altieri, la lingua bugiarda, E la mani che spandono il sangue innocente,

18 Il cuore che divisa pensieri d’iniquità, I piedi che si affrettano per correre al male,

19 Il falso testimonio che sbocca menzogne, E colui che commette contese tra fratelli.

20 FIGLIUOL mio, guarda il comandamento di tuo padre, E non lasciar l’insegnamento di tua madre;

21 Tienli del continuo legati in sul tuo cuore, Ed avvinti in su la tua gola.

22 Quando tu camminerai, quello ti guiderà; Quando tu giacerai, farà la guardia intorno a te; E quando tu ti risveglierai, ragionerà teco;

23 Perciocchè il comandamento è una lampana, E l’insegnamento è una luce, E le correzioni di disciplina son la via della vita;

24 Per guardarti dalla femmina malvagia, Dalle lusinghe della lingua della straniera.

25 Non invaghirti nel tuo cuore della sua bellezza; E non prendati ella con le sue palpebre.

26 Perciocchè per una donna meretrice si viene fino ad un pezzo di pane; E la donna vaga d’uomini va a caccia dietro alle anime preziose.

27 Alcuno prenderà egli del fuoco in seno, Senza che i suoi vestimenti ne sieno arsi?

28 Alcuno camminerà egli sopra le brace, Senza bruciarsi i piedi?

29 Così avviene a chi entra dalla moglie del suo prossimo; Chiunque la tocca non sarà innocente.

30 Ei non si scusa il ladro, quando egli ruba Per saziarsi, avendo fame;

31 Anzi, se è colto, restituisce il furto a sette doppi, Egli dà tutta la sostanza di casa sua.

32 Chi commette adulterio con una donna è scemo di senno; Chi vuol perder l’anima sua faccia tal cosa.

33 Egli troverà ferite ed ignominia; E il suo vituperio non sarà giammai cancellato.

34 Perciocchè la gelosia è un furor dell’uomo; Ed egli non risparmierà nel giorno della vendetta.

35 Egli non avrà riguardo ad alcun riscatto; Ed avvegnachè tu moltiplichi i presenti, non però li accetterà.

Proverbi 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

Cautions against rash suretiship. (1-5) A rebuke to slothfulness. (6-11) Seven things hateful to God. (12-19) Exhortations to walk according to God's commandments. (20-35)

Verses 1-5 If we live as directed by the word of God, we shall find it profitable even in this present world. We are stewards of our worldly substance, and have to answer to the Lord for our disposal of it; to waste it in rash schemes, or such plans as may entangle us in difficulties and temptations, is wrong. A man ought never to be surety for more than he is able and willing to pay, and can afford to pay, without wronging his family; he ought to look upon every sum he is engaged for, as his own debt. If we must take all this care to get our debts to men forgiven, much more to obtain forgiveness with God. Humble thyself to him, make sure of Christ as thy Friend, to plead for thee; pray earnestly that thy sins may be pardoned, and that thou mayest be kept from going down to the pit.

Verses 6-11 Diligence in business is every man's wisdom and duty; not so much that he may attain worldly wealth, as that he may not be a burden to others, or a scandal to the church. The ants are more diligent than slothful men. We may learn wisdom from the meanest insects, and be shamed by them. Habits of indolence and indulgence grow upon people. Thus life runs to waste; and poverty, though at first at a distance, gradually draws near, like a traveller; and when it arrives, is like an armed man, too strong to be resisted. All this may be applied to the concerns of our souls. How many love their sleep of sin, and their dreams of worldly happiness! Shall we not seek to awaken such? Shall we not give diligence to secure our own salvation?

Verses 12-19 If the slothful are to be condemned, who do nothing, much more those that do all the ill they can. Observe how such a man is described. He says and does every thing artfully, and with design. His ruin shall come without warning, and without relief. Here is a list of things hateful to God. Those sins are in a special manner provoking to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life. These things which God hates, we must hate in ourselves; it is nothing to hate them in others. Let us shun all such practices, and watch and pray against them; and avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty of them, whatever may be their rank.

Verses 20-35 The word of God has something to say to us upon all occasions. Let not faithful reproofs ever make us uneasy. When we consider how much this sin abounds, how heinous adultery is in its own nature, of what evil consequence it is, and how certainly it destroys the spiritual life in the soul, we shall not wonder that the cautions against it are so often repeated. Let us notice the subjects of this chapter. Let us remember Him who willingly became our Surety, when we were strangers and enemies. And shall Christians, who have such prospects, motives, and examples, be slothful and careless? Shall we neglect what is pleasing to God, and what he will graciously reward? May we closely watch every sense by which poison can enter our minds or affections.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 6

In this chapter the wise man dissuades from rash suretyship; exposes the sin of idleness; describes a wicked man; makes mention of seven things hateful to God; exhorts to attend to parental instructions and precepts, and cautions against adultery. Suretyship is described, Pr 6:1; and represented as a snare and a net, in which men are taken, Pr 6:2; and advice is given what to do in such a case, for safety in it, and deliverance from it, Pr 6:3-5; The sin of slothfulness is exposed, by observing the industry of the ant, Pr 6:6-8; by expostulating with the sluggard for his continuance in sloth, and by mimicking him, Pr 6:9,10; and by the poverty it brings upon him, Pr 6:11. Then a naughty wicked man is described, by his mouth, eyes, feet, fingers, and heart, whose ruin is sudden and inevitable, Pr 6:11-15. The seven things hateful to God are particularly named, Pr 6:16-19. And next the exhortation in some preceding chapters is reassumed, to attend to the instructions of parents; which will be found ornamental, pleasant, and useful, Pr 6:20-23. Especially to preserve from the lewd woman cautioned against, Pr 6:24,25; whose company is dissuaded from; on account of the extreme poverty and distress she brings persons to, and even danger of life, Pr 6:26; from the unavoidable ruin such come into, Pr 6:27-29; from the sin of uncleanness being greater than that of theft, Pr 6:30,31; from the folly the adulterer betrays; from the destruction of his soul, and the disgrace he brings on himself, Pr 6:32,33; and from the rage and irreconcilable offence of the husband of the adulteress, Pr 6:34,35.