VERSE STUDY • KJV

Proverbs 6:1-5

¹ My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, ² Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. ³ 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. ⁴ Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. ⁵ Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

¹ My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, ² Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. ³ 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. ⁴ Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. ⁵ Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

¹ My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, ² if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, ³ then 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. ⁴ Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. ⁵ Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

WEB World English Bible

¹ My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger; ² You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth. ³ Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor. ⁴ Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. ⁵ Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

ASV American Standard Version

¹ My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor, If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger; ² Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. ³ Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor: Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor; ⁴ Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids; ⁵ Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹ My son! if thou hast been surety for thy friend, Hast stricken for a stranger thy hand, ² Hast been snared with sayings of thy mouth, Hast been captured with sayings of thy mouth, ³ Do this now, my son, and be delivered, For thou hast come into the hand of thy friend. Go, trample on thyself, and strengthen thy friend, ⁴ Give not sleep to thine eyes, And slumber to thine eyelids, ⁵ Be delivered as a roe from the hand, And as a bird from the hand of a fowler.

Surrounding context — Proverbs 6

1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

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

3 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.

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

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

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

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.

Read the whole chapter → · About Proverbs →

Topics connected to this verse

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

Compare classic commentaries on Proverbs 6:1-5

Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.

Compare commentaries →