Provérbios 6

Min Søn: har du borget for din næste og givet en anden Håndslag,

er du fanget ved dine Læber og bundet ved Mundens Ord,

gør så dette, min Søn, og red dig, nu du er kommet i Næstens Hånd: Gå hen uden Tøven, træng ind på din Næste;

und ikke dine Øjne Søvn, ej heller dine Øjenlåg Hvile,

red dig som en Gazel af Snaren, som en Fugl af Fuglefængerens Hånd.

Gå hen til Myren, du lade, se dens Færd og bliv viis.

Skønt uden Fyrste, Foged og Styrer,

sørger den dog om Somren for Æde og sanker sin Føde i Høst.

Hvor længe vil du ligge, du lade, når står du op af din Søvn?

Lidt Søvn endnu, lidt Blund, lidt Hvile med samlagte Hænder:

som en Stimand kommer da Fattigdom over dig, Trang som en skjoldvæbnet Mand.

En Nidding, en ussel Mand er den, som vandrer med Falskhed i Munden,

som blinker med Øjet, skraber med Foden og giver Tegn med Fingrene,

som smeder Rænker i Hjertet og altid kun ypper Kiv;

derfor kommer hans Undergang brat, han knuses på Stedet, kan ikke læges.

Seks Ting hader HERREN, syv er hans Sjæl en Gru:

Stolte Øjne, Løgnetunge, Hænder, der udgyder uskyldigt Blod,

et Hjerte, der udtænker onde Råd, Fødder, der haster og iler til ondt,

falsk Vidne, der farer med Løgn, og den, som sætter Splid mellem Brødre.

Min Søn, tag Vare på din Faders Bud, opgiv ikke din Moders Belæring,

bind dem altid på dit Hjerte, knyt dem fast om din Hals;

på din Vandring lede den dig, på dit Leje vogte den dig, den tale dig til, når du vågner;

thi Budet er en Lygte, Læren Lys, og Tugtens Revselse Livets Vej

for at vogte dig for Andenmands Hustru, for fremmed Kvindes sleske Tunge!

Attrå ej i dit Hjerte hendes Skønhed, hendes Blik besnære dig ej!

Thi en Skøge får man blot for et Brød, men Andenmands Hustru fanger dyrebar Sjæl.

Kan nogen bære Ild i sin Brystfold, uden at Klæderne brænder?

Kan man vandre på glødende Kul, uden at Fødderne svides?

Så er det at gå ind til sin Næstes Hustru; ingen, der rører hende, slipper for Straf.

Ringeagter man ikke Tyven, når han stjæler fot at stille sin Sult?

Om han gribes, må han syvfold bøde og afgive alt sit Huses Gods.

Afsindig er den, der boler med hende, kun en Selvmorder handler så;

han opnår Hug og Skændsel, og aldrig udslettes hans Skam.

Thi Skinsyge vækker Mandens Vrede, han skåner ikke på Hævnens Dag;

ingen Bøde tager han god; store Tilbud rører ham ikke.

My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, {if} thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. {and make...: or, so shalt thou prevail with thy friend}

Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand {of the hunter}, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

Provideth her meat in the summer, {and} gathereth her food in the harvest.

How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

{Yet} a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

Frowardness {is} in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. {soweth: Heb. casteth forth}

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

These six {things} doth the LORD hate: yea, seven {are} an abomination unto him: {unto...: Heb. of his soul}

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, {A proud...: Heb. Haughty eyes}

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

A false witness {that} speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Bind them continually upon thine heart, {and} tie them about thy neck.

When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and {when} thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

For the commandment {is} a lamp; and the law {is} light; and reproofs of instruction {are} the way of life: {lamp: or, candle}

To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. {of the...: or, of the strange tongue}

Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

For by means of a whorish woman {a man is brought} to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. {the adulteress: Heb. the woman of a man, or, a man's wife}

Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

{Men} do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

But {if} he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

{But} whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he {that} doeth it destroyeth his own soul. {understanding: Heb. heart}

A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

For jealousy {is} the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts. {He will...: Heb. He will not accept the face of any ransom}