Proverbs 6:1-19

1My son, if you have become a 1guarantor for your neighbor, Or have given a handshake for a stranger,2If you have been ensnared by the words of your mouth, Or caught by the words of your mouth,3Then do this, my son, and save yourself: Since you have come into the 2hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and be urgent with your neighbor to free yourself.4Give no 3sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;5Save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand, And like a 4bird from the hand of the fowler.

6Go to the 5ant, you 67lazy one, Observe its ways and be wise,7Which, having 8no chief, Officer, or ruler,8Prepares its food 9in the summer And gathers its provision in the harvest.9How long will you lie down, you 10lazy one? When will you arise from your sleep?10“11A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to 12rest,”1113Then your poverty will come in like a 14drifter, And your need like 15an armed man.

12A 16worthless person, a wicked man, Is one who walks with a 17perverse mouth,13Who 18winks with his eyes, who 19signals with his feet, Who 20points with his fingers;14Who, with 21perversion in his heart, continually 22devises evil, Who 2324spreads strife.15Therefore 25his disaster will come suddenly; 26Instantly he will be broken and there will be 27no healing.

16There are six things that the Lord hates, Seven that are an abomination 28to Him:1729Haughty eyes, a 30lying tongue, And hands that 31shed innocent blood,18A heart that devises 32wicked plans, 33Feet that run rapidly to evil,19A 34false witness who declares lies, And one who 3536spreads strife among brothers.