Proverbs 6:1-14 ▼

1 My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,

2 then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.

3 Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.

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

5 Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom.

7 For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader,

8 she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.

9 How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep?

10 You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep,

11 and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.

12 An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth;

13 he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger.

14 With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict.