Proverbs 6:1-10

1 My son, if you have put up security for your friend, if you committed yourself on behalf of another;

2 you have been snared by the words of your mouth, caught by the words of your own mouth.

3 Do this now, my son, and extricate yourself, since you put yourself in your friend's power: go, humble yourself, and pester your friend;

4 give your eyes no sleep, give your eyelids no rest;

5 break free, like a gazelle from the [hunter's] trap, like a bird from the grip of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you lazybones! Consider its ways, and be wise.

7 It has no chief, overseer or ruler;

8 yet it provides its food in summer and gathers its supplies at harvest-time.

9 Lazybones! How long will you lie there in bed? When will you get up from your sleep?

10 "I'll just lie here a bit, rest a little longer, just fold my hands for a little more sleep"-

Proverbs 6:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

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.