Proverbs 6 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

My son, if you've put up collateral for your neighbor's debt, if you've shaken hands to guarantee a stranger's loan,

if your own words have trapped you, if you've been caught by what you promised —

then do this, my son, and get yourself out of it, because you've handed yourself over to your neighbor: Go, swallow your pride, and plead urgently with your neighbor.

Don't let your eyes sleep, don't let your eyelids rest.

Free yourself like a gazelle from a hunter's hand, like a bird from a fowler's trap.

Go watch the ant, you lazy person — study how it lives and learn to be wise.

It has no commander, no overseer, no ruler,

yet it stores up its food during summer and gathers its supplies at harvest.

How long are you going to lie there, lazy person? When are you going to get up from your sleep?

"Just a little more sleep, a little more rest, a little more folding of the hands to relax" —

and poverty will come at you like a prowler, and need like an armed attacker.

A worthless person, a wicked man, goes around with a crooked mouth,

winking with his eyes, signaling with his feet, pointing with his fingers.

With a twisted mind he's always scheming up trouble, constantly stirring up conflict.

Because of this, disaster will hit him suddenly — in an instant he'll be shattered beyond repair.

There are six things Yahweh despises, seven that are completely disgusting to him:

arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that race to do evil,

a false witness who breathes out lies, and anyone who stirs up conflict between brothers.

My son, keep your father's instruction, and don't abandon your mother's teaching.

Tie them to your heart at all times; hang them around your neck.

When you walk, they'll guide you; when you lie down, they'll watch over you; and when you wake up, they'll talk with you.

Because the instruction is a lamp, the teaching is a light, and corrections that train you are the road to life.

They'll protect you from the immoral woman, from the smooth talk of the unfaithful wife.

Don't desire her beauty in your heart; don't let her capture you with her eyelashes.

Because a prostitute will cost you a loaf of bread, but another man's wife will hunt for your precious life.

Can a man carry fire against his chest without his clothes catching fire?

Can a man walk on hot coals without burning his feet?

That's what happens to a man who sleeps with his neighbor's wife — no one who touches her will go unpunished.

People don't look down on a thief who steals to fill his stomach when he's starving.

But if he's caught, he'll pay back seven times over — he'll have to give up everything in his house.

But a man who commits adultery has no sense — whoever does it destroys himself.

He'll get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will never be wiped away.

Because jealousy fuels a husband's rage, and he'll show no mercy when he takes revenge.

He won't accept any payment as compensation; he'll refuse it no matter how large the bribe.