Proverbs6

English Standard Version

TranslationKJV WEB ASV ESV NIV NASB NKJV NLT

¹My , you have for your , have given your for a ,

²if you are in the of your , in the of your ,

³ , my , and yourself, you have into the of your : , , and with your .

⁴ your and your no ;

⁵ yourself like a the of the hunter, like a from the of the .

⁶ to the , O ; her , and be .

⁷ having any , , or ,

⁸she her in and her in .

⁹How will you there, O ? will you your ?

¹⁰A , a , a of the to ,

¹¹and will upon you like a , and like an .

¹²A , a , about with ,

¹³ with his , with his , with his ,

¹⁴with , ;

¹⁵ will upon him ; in a he will be beyond .

¹⁶There things that the Lord , that are an :

¹⁷ , a , and that ,

¹⁸a that , that to to ,

¹⁹a who , and one who among .

²⁰My , your , and your .

²¹ them your ; them your .

²²When you , they will you; when you , they will you; and when you , they will with you.

²³ the is a and the a , and the of are the of ,

²⁴to you the , the of the .

²⁵Do her in your , and do let her you with her ;

²⁶ the of a is a of , but a married a .

²⁷Can a next to his and his be ?

²⁸ can hot and his be ?

²⁹ is he who to his ; who her will .

³⁰People do a he to his he is ,

³¹but if he is , he will ; he will the of his .

³²He who ; he who it .

³³He will and , and his will be .

³⁴ a , and he will he .

³⁵He will ; he will though you .

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Proverbs 6.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Cautions against rash suretiship. (1–5). A rebuke to slothfulness. (6–11). Seven things hateful to God. (12–19). Exhortations to walk according to God's commandments. (20–35).

vv1-5

If we live as directed by the word of God, we shall find it profitable even in this present world. We are stewards of our worldly substance, and have to answer to the Lord for our disposal of it; to waste it in rash schemes, or such plans as may entangle us in difficulties and temptations, is wrong. A man ought never to be surety for more than he is able and willing to pay, and can afford to pay, without wronging his family; he ought to look upon every sum he is engaged for, as his own debt. If we must take all this care to get our debts to men forgiven, much more to obtain forgiveness with God. Humble thyself to him, make sure of Christ as thy Friend, to plead for thee; pray earnestly that thy sins may be pardoned, and that thou mayest be kept from going down to the pit.

vv6-11

Diligence in business is every man's wisdom and duty; not so much that he may attain worldly wealth, as that he may not be a burden to others, or a scandal to the church. The ants are more diligent than slothful men. We may learn wisdom from the meanest insects, and be shamed by them. Habits of indolence and indulgence grow upon people. Thus life runs to waste; and poverty, though at first at a distance, gradually draws near, like a traveller; and when it arrives, is like an armed man, too strong to be resisted. All this may be applied to the concerns of our souls. How many love their sleep of sin, and their dreams of worldly happiness! Shall we not seek to awaken such? Shall we not give diligence to secure our own salvation?

vv12-19

If the slothful are to be condemned, who do nothing, much more those that do all the ill they can. Observe how such a man is described. He says and does every thing artfully, and with design. His ruin shall come without warning, and without relief. Here is a list of things hateful to God. Those sins are in a special manner provoking to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life. These things which God hates, we must hate in ourselves; it is nothing to hate them in others. Let us shun all such practices, and watch and pray against them; and avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty of them, whatever may be their rank.

Key Words

sonH1121Hebrew

בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

ifH518Hebrew

אִם: used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not

securityH6148Hebrew

עָרַב: to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange)

neighborH7453Hebrew

רֵעַ: an associate (more or less close)

strangerH2114Hebrew

זוּר: to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be aforeigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery

snaredH3369Hebrew

יָקֹשׁ: to ensnare (literally or figuratively)

wordsH561Hebrew

אֵמֶר: something said

mouthH6310Hebrew

פֶּה: the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to

caughtH3920Hebrew

לָכַד: to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere

thenH645Hebrew

אֵפוֹ: strictly a demonstrative particle, here; but used of time, now or then