Proverbs 6:20-35

20My child, obey your father's commands. Do not forget what your mother has taught you.

21Keep their teaching in your thoughts. Keep it as near to you as a necklace that you wear.

22Wherever you go in life, their words will be your guide. They will keep you safe while you sleep. When you wake up, they will teach you.

23Their commands and their teaching are like a lamp that gives you light. When they warn you that you are doing wrong things, that helps you to live well.

24They will keep you safe from any bad woman, so that the sweet words of an adulteress will not deceive you.

25Do not keep thinking how beautiful her body is. Do not let her use her eyes like a trap to catch you.

26If you sleep with a prostitute, that may cost the price of a meal. But if you sleep with another man's wife, you may pay with your life.

27You cannot carry fire next to your body and not burn your clothes.

28You cannot walk over hot pieces of coal and not burn your feet.

29It is the same when a man has sex with another man's wife. Anyone who does that will receive punishment that hurts him.

30People may excuse someone who steals food because he is hungry.

31But if someone catches him, he must pay back seven times what he took. He may lose everything that he has in his house.

32But a man who sleeps with another man's wife is stupid. He is destroying his own life.

33He deserves his punishment and shame. He will never stop being ashamed.

34The woman's husband will be jealous, and he will become very angry. He will want the man to receive full punishment.

35He will not accept any money or bribe to pay the debt, even if it is a lot of money.