Proverbs of Solomon 6 A Warning Against Being a Surety, Laziness, and Evil

 Proverbs of Solomon 6

A Warning Against Being a Surety, Laziness, and Evil

1 My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, if you have lent your hand to a stranger,

2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.

3 Now therefore, my son, do this and deliver yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself, and be a pest to your neighbor.

4 Do not give sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

5 Deliver yourself as a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, or as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise;

7 Which having no superior, officer, or ruler,

8 Provides her bread in the summer; gathers her food in the harvest. 

9 Oh, you sluggard, how long will you lie down? When will you arise from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down;

11 So poverty will come upon you like a thief, and want like an armed man.

12 A worthless man, a wicked man, walks with perverse speech.

13 He winks with his eyes, speaks with his feet, points with his fingers.

14 Perverseness is in his heart; he continually devises mischief; he sows discord.

15 Therefore his destruction will come suddenly; suddenly he will be broken without remedy.

16 These six things the Lord hates, yea, seven are an abomination to him:

17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood;

18 A heart that devises wicked schemes; feet that are swift in running to evil;

19 a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.