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Proverbs 6:6-19
New Catholic Bible
Proverbs 6:6-19
New Catholic Bible
Contemplate the Ant, You Sluggard[a]
6 Contemplate the ant, you sluggard;[b]
observe its ways and gain wisdom.
7 Even though it has no chief,
no governor or ruler,
8 it stores its provisions throughout the summer
and gathers its food at the time of harvest.
9 How long do you intend to lie there, you sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
11 and poverty will overtake you like a robber,
and scarcity like an armed man.
Portrait of a Scoundrel[c]
12 A scoundrel,[d] a villainous man, is he
who specializes in crooked talk.
13 He winks with his eyes,
gives signals with his feet,
and makes gestures with his fingers.
14 His perverted heart is ever bent toward devising evil
as he constantly sows discord.
15 Therefore, disaster will strike him suddenly;
in an instant he will be crushed beyond recovery.
Six Things That the Lord Hates[e]
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are abhorrent to him:
17 haughty eyes,[f] a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,[g]
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness[h] who spews out lies,
and one who sows dissension among brothers.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 6:6 Before the French writer La Fontaine, Job too was entranced by the life of animals. Here the ant becomes a teacher of virtue.
- Proverbs 6:6 Sluggard: an idler who refuses to work (see Prov 10:26; 13:4; 15:19; 19:24; 20:4; 22:13; 24:30; 26:13-16).
- Proverbs 6:12 Moralists readily cultivate the art of portrait-making so that they may better fashion the sentiments of their hearers or readers.
- Proverbs 6:12 Scoundrel: a wicked man of little worth (see Jdg 19:22; 1 Sam 25:25; Job 34:18). Crooked talk: see Prov 2:12 and note; 19:28.
- Proverbs 6:16 This is the first “numerical proverb”; it reflects a popular way of coining incisive maxims that are easy to remember and imitate, being a kind of conundrum. Here the description of the deceitful and liars is rendered more realistic by the enumeration that evokes the different parts of the human body.
- Proverbs 6:17 Haughty eyes: they are usually the outward sign of a proud heart, and both will incur the judgment of God (see Prov 21:4; 30:13; Pss 18:28; 101:5). Lying tongue: see Prov 2:12 (and note); 12:19; 17:7; 21:6. Hands that shed innocent blood: see Prov 1:11, 16; 28:17.
- Proverbs 6:18 A heart that devises wicked schemes: see Prov 1:31; 24:2; Gen 6:5. Feet that are quick to rush into evil: see Prov 1:16.
- Proverbs 6:19 False witness: Proverbs sets forth the harm caused by the false witness (see Prov 12:17-18; 25:18); see also note on Ps 5:10. It also indicates the punishment that awaits him (see Prov 6:15; 19:5, 9; 21:28). Spews out lies: see Prov 14:5, 25. Sows dissension: by false accusations he foments distrust, which leads to alienation and strife (see Prov 18:6).
Proverbs 6:6-19
New International Version
Proverbs 6:6-19
New International Version
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;(A)
consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer(B)
and gathers its food at harvest.(C)
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?(D)
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest(E)—
11 and poverty(F) 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,
13 who winks maliciously with his eye,(G)
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,(H)
14 who plots evil(I) with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up conflict.(J)
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;(K)
he will suddenly(L) be destroyed—without remedy.(M)
16 There are six things the Lord hates,(N)
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,(O)
a lying tongue,(P)
hands that shed innocent blood,(Q)
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,(R)
19 a false witness(S) who pours out lies(T)
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.(U)
Proverbs 6:6-19
King James Version
Proverbs 6:6-19
King James Version
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
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Proverbs 6:6-19
New King James Version
Proverbs 6:6-19
New King James Version
The Folly of Indolence
6 (A)Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no [a]captain,
Overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her [b]supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
9 (B)How long will you [c]slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 (C)So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
The Wicked Man
12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
13 (D)He winks with his eyes,
He [d]shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
14 Perversity is in his heart,
(E)He devises evil continually,
(F)He sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come (G)suddenly;
Suddenly he shall (H)be broken (I)without remedy.
16 These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to [e]Him:
17 (J)A[f] proud look,
(K)A lying tongue,
(L)Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 (M)A heart that devises wicked plans,
(N)Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 (O)A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who (P)sows discord among brethren.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 6:7 Lit. leader
- Proverbs 6:8 Lit. bread
- Proverbs 6:9 Lit. lie down
- Proverbs 6:13 gives signals, lit. scrapes
- Proverbs 6:16 Lit. His soul
- Proverbs 6:17 Lit. Haughty eyes
Proverbs 6:6-19
English Standard Version
Proverbs 6:6-19
English Standard Version
6 (A)Go to (B)the ant, O (C)sluggard;
consider her ways, and (D)be wise.
7 (E)Without having any chief,
(F)officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread (G)in summer
and (H)gathers her food in harvest.
9 (I)How long will you lie there, (J)O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 (K)A little sleep, a little slumber,
(L)a little (M)folding of the hands to rest,
11 (N)and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
12 (O)A worthless person, a wicked man,
goes about with (P)crooked speech,
13 (Q)winks with his eyes, signals[a] with his feet,
points with his finger,
14 with (R)perverted heart (S)devises evil,
continually (T)sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
(U)in a moment he will be broken (V)beyond healing.
16 There are (W)six things that the Lord hates,
(X)seven that are an abomination to him:
17 (Y)haughty eyes, (Z)a lying tongue,
and (AA)hands that shed innocent blood,
18 (AB)a heart that devises wicked plans,
(AC)feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 (AD)a false witness who (AE)breathes out lies,
and one who (AF)sows discord among brothers.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 6:13 Hebrew scrapes
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.