Proverbs 6 - The Message (MSG)

Like a Deer from the Hunter

6 1-5 Dear friend, if you’ve gone into hock with your neighbor
or locked yourself into a deal with a stranger,
If you’ve impulsively promised the shirt off your back
and now find yourself shivering out in the cold,
Friend, don’t waste a minute, get yourself out of that mess.
You’re in that man’s clutches!
Go, put on a long face; act desperate.
Don’t procrastinate—
there’s no time to lose.
Run like a deer from the hunter,
fly like a bird from the trapper!

A Lesson from the Ant

6-11 You lazy fool, look at an ant.
Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two.
Nobody has to tell it what to do.
All summer it stores up food;
at harvest it stockpiles provisions.
So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing?
How long before you get out of bed?
A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there,
sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next?
Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life,
poverty your permanent houseguest!

Always Cooking Up Something Nasty

12-15 Swindlers and scoundrels
talk out of both sides of their mouths.
They wink at each other, they shuffle their feet,
they cross their fingers behind their backs.
Their perverse minds are always cooking up something nasty,
always stirring up trouble.
Catastrophe is just around the corner for them,
a total wreck, their lives ruined beyond repair.

Seven Things God Hates

16-19 Here are six things God hates,
and one more that he loathes with a passion:

eyes that are arrogant,
a tongue that lies,
hands that murder the innocent,
a heart that hatches evil plots,
feet that race down a wicked track,
a mouth that lies under oath,
a troublemaker in the family.

Warning on Adultery

20-23 Good friend, follow your father’s good advice;
don’t wander off from your mother’s teachings.
Wrap yourself in them from head to foot;
wear them like a scarf around your neck.
Wherever you walk, they’ll guide you;
whenever you rest, they’ll guard you;
when you wake up, they’ll tell you what’s next.
For sound advice is a beacon,
good teaching is a light,
moral discipline is a life path.

24-35 They’ll protect you from promiscuous women,
from the seductive talk of some temptress.
Don’t lustfully fantasize on her beauty,
nor be taken in by her bedroom eyes.
You can buy an hour with a prostitute for a loaf of bread,
but a promiscuous woman may well eat you alive.
Can you build a fire in your lap
and not burn your pants?
Can you walk barefoot on hot coals
and not get blisters?
It’s the same when you have sex with your neighbor’s wife:
Touch her and you’ll pay for it. No excuses.
Hunger is no excuse
for a thief to steal;
When he’s caught he has to pay it back,
even if he has to put his whole house in hock.
Adultery is a brainless act,
soul-destroying, self-destructive;
Expect a bloody nose, a black eye,
and a reputation ruined for good.
For jealousy detonates rage in a cheated husband;
wild for revenge, he won’t make allowances.
Nothing you say or pay will make it all right;
neither bribes nor reason will satisfy him.

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Proverbs 6 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

6 My son! if thou hast been surety for thy friend, Hast stricken for a stranger thy hand, 2 Hast been snared with sayings of thy mouth, Hast been captured with sayings of thy mouth, 3 Do this now, my son, and be delivered, For thou hast come into the hand of thy friend. Go, trample on thyself, and s...
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Proverbs 6 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

6 My son, if thou hast promised for thy friend, thou hast fastened thine hand at a stranger. (My son, if thou hast pledged yourself, or made a guarantee, for thy friend, then thou hast fastened thy hand to a stranger.) 2 Thou art bound by the words of thy mouth; and thou art taken with thine own wor...
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Proverbs 6 - World English Bible (WEB)

6 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,2 you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbo...
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Proverbs 6 - The Voice (VOICE)

6 My son, if you will risk your family’s future to put up collateral for the debts of an acquaintance, if you seal a commitment with a handshake to someone without first knowing the value of his word,2 Then your words may well be the trap that snares you, and your promise may seal your fate. You can...
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Proverbs 6 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Economic Entanglements6 My son, if you have become a cosigner for your neighbor,if you have shaken hands in pledge with a stranger,2 if you are trapped by your own words,ensnared by the words of your mouth,3 then do this, my son, and free yourself,since you fell into your neighbor’s hand:Go, humble ...
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Proverbs 6 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Practical Admonitions6 My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger;2 if you are snared in the utterance of your lips,[a] caught in the words of your mouth;3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into your neighbor’s power: go, haste...
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Proverbs 6 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Practical Admonitions6 My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger;2 if you are snared in the utterance of your lips,[a] caught in the words of your mouth;3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into your neighbor’s power: go, haste...
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Proverbs 6 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Practical Admonitions6 My child, if you have given your pledge to your neighbour, if you have bound yourself to another,[a]2 you are snared by the utterance of your lips,[b] caught by the words of your mouth.3 So do this, my child, and save yourself, for you have come into your neighbour’s power: go...
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Proverbs 6 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Practical Admonitions6 My child, if you have given your pledge to your neighbor, if you have bound yourself to another,[a](A)2 you are snared by the utterance of your lips,[b] caught by the words of your mouth.3 So do this, my child, and save yourself, for you have come into your neighbor’s power: g...
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Proverbs 6 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Lessons for Daily Life6 My child,[a] if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—2 if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said—3 follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s merc...
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Proverbs 6 - New Life Version (NLV)

A Father Talks to His Son6 My son, if you have put yourself as a trust for what your neighbor owes to another, or if you have made a promise for a stranger, 2 you have been trapped with the words of your lips. You have been caught with the words of your mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and get yourse...
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Proverbs 6 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Dangerous Promises6 My son, (A)if you become [a]surety for your friend,If you have [b]shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,2 You are snared by the words of your mouth;You are taken by the words of your mouth.3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;For you have come into the hand of your friend:G...
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Proverbs 6 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Warnings against folly6 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbour, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,2 you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.3 So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbour’s hands:go...
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Proverbs 6 - New International Version (NIV)

Warnings Against Folly6 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,2 you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.3 So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’...
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Proverbs 6 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Warnings Against Foolish Acts6 My son, don’t promise to pay for what your neighbor owes. Don’t agree to pay a stranger’s bill.2 Don’t be trapped by what you have said. Don’t be caught by the words of your mouth.3 Instead, my son, do something to free yourself. Don’t fall into your neighbor’s hands.G...
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Proverbs 6 - New English Translation (NET)

Admonitions and Warnings against Dangerous and Destructive Acts[a]6 My child,[b] if you have made a pledge[c] for your neighbor,[d]if[e] you have become a guarantor[f] for a stranger,[g]2 if[h] you have been ensnared[i] by the words you have uttered,[j]and have been caught by the words you have spok...
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