Proverbs 6:1-19

Financial Entanglements

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor^[a] or entered into an agreement with^[b] a stranger,^{[c] [d]}

2 you have been trapped by the words of your lips^[e]- ensnared by the words of your mouth.

3 Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor's power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.

4 Don't give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.

5 Escape like a gazelle from a hunter,^[f] like a bird from a fowler's trap.^{[g] [h]}

Laziness

6 Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise.

7 Without leader, administrator, or ruler,

8 it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest.^[i]

9 How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,^[j]

11 and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.^[k]

The Malicious Man

12 A worthless person,^[l] a wicked man, who goes around speaking dishonestly,^[m]

13 who winks^[n] his eyes, signals with his feet, and gestures with his fingers,

14 who plots evil with perversity in his heart- he stirs up trouble constantly.^[o]

15 Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly-beyond recovery.^[p]

What the Lord Hates

16 Six things the Lord hates; in fact, seven are detestable to Him:

17 arrogant eyes,^[q] a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,^[r]

18 a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil,

19 a lying witness who gives false testimony,^[s] and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.^[t]

Proverbs 6:1-19 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Or friend
• [b] Lit or shaken hands for or with
• [c] The Hb word for stranger can refer to a foreigner, an Israelite outside one's family, or simply to another person.
• [d] Pr 11:15; 17:18; 22:26
• [e] Lit mouth
• [f] Lit hand
• [g] Lit hand
• [h] Pr 11:15; 17:18; 22:26
• [i] Pr 10:5; 30:25
• [j] Pr 26:14; Ec 4:5
• [k] Pr 20:13; 24:33-34; Ec 4:5
• [l] Pr 16:27; 19:28
• [m] Pr 4:24
• [n] Pr 10:10; 16:30; Ps 35:19
• [o] Pr 6:19; 16:27-28; 28:25
• [p] Pr 24:22; 29:1
• [q] Pr 21:4; 30:13; Ps 18:27
• [r] Pr 1:16; Isa 59:7
• [s] Pr 12:17; 14:5,25
• [t] Pr 6:14; 16:27-28; 28:25