Parental Counsel

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

Go to the (D)ant, you [b](E)lazy one,
Observe its ways and be wise,
Which, having (F)no chief,
Officer, or ruler,
Prepares its food (G)in the summer
And gathers its provision in the harvest.
How long will you lie down, you [c]lazy one?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 (H)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to [d]rest,”
11 (I)Then your poverty will come in like a [e]drifter,
And your need like [f]an armed man.

12 A (J)worthless person, a wicked man,
Is one who walks with a (K)perverse mouth,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:3 Lit palm
  2. Proverbs 6:6 Lit idle one
  3. Proverbs 6:9 Lit idle one
  4. Proverbs 6:10 Lit lie down
  5. Proverbs 6:11 Lit one who moves about
  6. Proverbs 6:11 Lit a man with a shield

Warnings Against Folly

My son,(A) if you have put up security(B) for your neighbor,(C)
    if you have shaken hands in pledge(D) for a stranger,
you have been trapped by what you said,
    ensnared by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my son, to free yourself,
    since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—[a]
    and give your neighbor no rest!
Allow no sleep to your eyes,
    no slumber to your eyelids.(E)
Free yourself, like a gazelle(F) from the hand of the hunter,(G)
    like a bird from the snare of the fowler.(H)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;(I)
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer(J)
    and gathers its food at harvest.(K)

How long will you lie there, you sluggard?(L)
    When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(M)
11 and poverty(N) will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.

12 A troublemaker and a villain,
    who goes about with a corrupt mouth,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:3 Or Go and humble yourself,