Read · Listen · Study

Proverbs 6 · Berean Standard Bible

Playback speed

¹My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, ²if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, ³then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor. ⁴Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. ⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. ⁶Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. ⁷Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, ⁸it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. ⁹How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? ¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, ¹¹and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit. ¹²A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth, ¹³winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers. ¹⁴With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord. ¹⁵Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery. ¹⁶There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: ¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ¹⁹a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers. ²⁰My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. ²¹Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck. ²²When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. ²³For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life, ²⁴to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. ²⁵Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. ²⁶For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. ²⁷Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? ²⁸Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet? ²⁹So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. ³⁰Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger. ³¹Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house. ³²He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. ³³Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away. ³⁴For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. ³⁵He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.

Berean Standard Bible · public domain. More versions and languages in the Reading Plan.

Proverbs

Proverbs 6

Wisdom’s Warnings: Prudence, Diligence, and Integrity

✦

Objective

To expose the perils of rash surety, slothfulness, deceit, and lust, while affirming the guiding power of parental instruction and the moral clarity of God’s commandments.

Overview

Proverbs 6 unfolds a series of practical admonitions addressing the believer’s conduct in social, personal, and moral spheres. It begins with a stern warning against becoming surety for another’s debt, urging swift action to escape such entanglements. The sluggard’s folly is then exposed through the example of the industrious ant, calling for vigilance and labor. The chapter condemns the deceitful and sowers of discord, listing behaviors detestable to the LORD. It exhorts the son to hold fast to parental commands as a lamp and light, guiding him away from the seductive snares of the adulterous woman. The devastating consequences of adultery and jealousy are laid bare, emphasizing the ruin of soul and reputation. Throughout, the chapter weaves themes of wisdom’s protection and the cost of folly.

Detailed Analysis

Event Description

The father warns his son against rashly becoming surety for a friend or stranger, likening such a pledge to a snare that entangles the unwary. The son is urged to act immediately—humbling himself and pleading with his friend to release him from this obligation. The imagery of escaping like a roe or bird from the hunter’s hand underscores the urgency and peril.

Central Themes

The peril of careless financial entanglements

The necessity of swift and humble action to avoid ruin

Wisdom as practical deliverance

Cultural & Historical Context

In ancient Near Eastern society, suretyship was a serious legal and social commitment, often leading to debt slavery or loss of property if the principal failed to pay. Proverbs counsels prudence and responsibility to avoid such traps (cf. Ecclesiastes 5:5).

Key Verse

Proverbs 6:1-5

Vivid Artistic Descriptions

The Danger of Becoming Surety and the Call to Deliverance

A young man stands at a crossroads, his hand pressed in solemn pledge, while invisible chains form from his words, binding him. In the background, a shadowy figure looms, representing the friend whose debt ensnares him. Above, a swift roe leaps over a rocky cliff, symbolizing the urgent call to flee and reclaim freedom.

The Sluggard and the Industrious Ant: A Lesson in Diligence

A sunlit meadow where a single ant tirelessly carries a grain of wheat up a steep hill, its path unmarked by overseers. Nearby, a figure slumbers beneath a tree, hands folded, oblivious to the passing seasons. The contrast between motion and stillness, preparation and neglect, is stark and poignant.

The Wicked Man: Deceit, Mischief, and Sudden Calamity

A shadowy figure with a twisted smile winks and gestures slyly, his heart a dark labyrinth of scheming. Around him, broken relationships and scattered seeds of discord sprout like thorns. Suddenly, a lightning bolt strikes, symbolizing sudden, irrevocable judgment.

Parental Instruction as a Guiding Light

A youth walks a narrow path at twilight, a glowing lamp hanging from his neck casting warm light on the way. Behind him, the silhouettes of a father and mother stand with outstretched hands, their words forming a protective shield. The path leads safely through shadowed dangers toward a bright horizon.

The Adulterous Woman and the Ruin of Lust

A woman cloaked in radiant but deceptive beauty extends a hand, her eyes alluring. Flames flicker at her feet, threatening to engulf a man who reaches toward her. Behind him, a broken heart and shattered reputation lie smoldering, while a jealous figure watches from the shadows, clenched in wrath.

Song

Proverbs 6 Song

Verse 1

My son, beware the words you bind, A pledge can trap the trusting mind. Like hunted roe, escape with haste, Humility your swift embrace.

Verse 2

The wicked man with crooked ways, Speaks lies and sows discord’s blaze. God hates the proud, the false, the cruel, His judgment falls, a sudden rule.

Verse 3

Can fire burn and leave no mark? Can coals scorch without a spark? Adultery destroys the soul, Jealousy consumes and takes its toll.

Chorus

Wisdom calls, arise and see, The ant’s small steps teach industry. From slumber’s grip be quick to part, Laziness steals the wealth of heart.

Bridge

Bind the law upon your soul, A lamp to guide, a light to hold. From flattery’s snare and lust’s cruel fire, Keep your heart, resist desire.

Final Chorus

Wisdom calls, arise and see, The ant’s small steps teach industry. From slumber’s grip be quick to part, Laziness steals the wealth of heart. Hold fast the law, keep pure your way, Live in truth, and walk in day.

Practical Application

Personal Life

Examine commitments carefully; avoid rash surety that can entangle and enslave.

Cultivate diligence and self-discipline, learning from the ant’s example to prepare and work faithfully.

Guard the heart against deceit, pride, and lust, recognizing their destructive consequences.

Embrace parental and scriptural instruction as a guiding light in daily decisions.

Community & Society

Promote honesty and integrity in relationships to prevent discord and falsehood.

Encourage industriousness and responsibility within families and communities.

Support those struggling with temptation and provide accountability to resist destructive behaviors.

Value the wisdom of elders and uphold moral teachings as foundations for social harmony.

Global Perspective

Advocate for ethical financial practices to protect individuals from exploitative suretyship.

Champion education that fosters diligence and moral character worldwide.

Stand against corruption, falsehood, and social division that fracture nations.

Promote respect for marriage and fidelity as pillars of societal stability.

Conclusion

Proverbs 6 stands as a beacon of practical wisdom, warning against entanglements that lead to ruin, the lethargy that invites poverty, the deceit that fractures community, and the lust that destroys soul and honor. It calls the believer to swift deliverance, diligent labor, truthful speech, and steadfast adherence to parental and divine instruction. In these, wisdom offers a lamp to illuminate the path of life, guarding from snares and leading to integrity and peace.