Viewing the original 1611 KJV with archaic English spelling.
Click to switch to the Standard KJV.



+     Text Size    

1 My sonne, if thou bee surety for thy friend, it thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

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

3 Doe this now, my sonne, and deliuer thy selfe, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend: goe, humble thy selfe, and make sure thy friend.

4 Giue not sleepe to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

5 Deliuer thy selfe as a Roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 ¶ Goe to the Ant, thou sluggard, consider her wayes, and be wise.

7 Which hauing no guide, ouerseer, or ruler,

8 Prouideth her meat in the Summer, and gathereth her food in the haruest.

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

10 Yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleepe.

11 So shall thy pouertie come as one that trauaileth, and thy want as an armed man.

12 ¶ A naughtie person, a wicked man walketh with a froward mouth.

13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feete, hee teacheth with his fingers.

14 Frowardnesse is in his heart, he deuiseth mischiefe continually, he soweth discord.

15 Therefore shall his calamitie come suddenly; suddenly shall hee be broken without remedie.

16 ¶ These sixe things doeth the Lord hate; yea seuen are an abomination vnto him:

17 A proude looke, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood:

18 An heart that deuiseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischiefe:

19 A false witnesse that speaketh lies; and him that soweth discord among brethren.

20 ¶ My sonne, keepe thy fathers commandement, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

21 Binde them continually vpon thine heart, and tie them about thy necke.

22 When thou goest, it shall leade thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keepe thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talke with thee.

23 For the Commandement is a lampe, and the Lawe is light: and reproofes of instruction are the way of life:

24 To keepe thee from the euill woman, from the flatterie of the tongue of a strange woman.

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

26 For by meanes of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteresse will hunt for the precious life.

27 Can a man take fire in his bosome, and his clothes not be burnt?

28 Can one goe vpon hote coales, and his feete not be burnt?

29 So he that goeth in to his neighbours wife; whosoeuer toucheth her, shall not be innocent.

30 Men doe not despise a thiefe, if he steale to satisfie his soule, when hee is hungry:

31 But if he be found, he shall restore seuenfold, he shall giue all the substance of his house.

32 But who so committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh vnderstanding: hee that doeth it, destroyeth his owne soule.

33 A wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproch shall not be wiped away.

34 For iealousie is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35 He will not regard any ransome; neither will hee rest content, though thou giuest many giftes.

Viewing the original 1611 KJV with archaic English spelling
Click to switch to the Standard KJV.


Commentary for Proverbs 6

Cautions against rash suretiship. (1-5) A rebuke to slothfulness. (6-11) Seven things hateful to God. (12-19) Exhortations to walk according to God's commandments. (20-35)1-5 If we live as directed by the word of God, we shall find it profitable even in this present world. We are stewards of our worldly substance, and have to answer to the Lord for our disposal of it; to waste it in rash schemes, or such plans as may entangle us in difficulties and temptations, is wrong. A man ought never to be surety for more than he is able and willing to pay, and can afford to pay, without wronging his family; he ought to look upon every sum he is engaged for, as his own debt. If we must take all this care to get our debts to men forgiven, much more to obtain forgiveness with God. Humble thyself to him, make sure of Christ as thy Friend, to plead for thee; pray earnestly that thy sins may be pardoned, and that thou mayest be kept from going down to the pit.

6-11 Diligence in business is every man's wisdom and duty; not so much that he may attain worldly wealth, as that he may not be a burden to others, or a scandal to the church. The ants are more diligent than slothful men. We may learn wisdom from the meanest insects, and be shamed by them. Habits of indolence and indulgence grow upon people. Thus life runs to waste; and poverty, though at first at a distance, gradually draws near, like a traveller; and when it arrives, is like an armed man, too strong to be resisted. All this may be applied to the concerns of our souls. How many love their sleep of sin, and their dreams of worldly happiness! Shall we not seek to awaken such? Shall we not give diligence to secure our own salvation?

12-19 If the slothful are to be condemned, who do nothing, much more those that do all the ill they can. Observe how such a man is described. He says and does every thing artfully, and with design. His ruin shall come without warning, and without relief. Here is a list of things hateful to God. Those sins are in a special manner provoking to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life. These things which God hates, we must hate in ourselves; it is nothing to hate them in others. Let us shun all such practices, and watch and pray against them; and avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty of them, whatever may be their rank.

20-35 The word of God has something to say to us upon all occasions. Let not faithful reproofs ever make us uneasy. When we consider how much this sin abounds, how heinous adultery is in its own nature, of what evil consequence it is, and how certainly it destroys the spiritual life in the soul, we shall not wonder that the cautions against it are so often repeated. Let us notice the subjects of this chapter. Let us remember Him who willingly became our Surety, when we were strangers and enemies. And shall Christians, who have such prospects, motives, and examples, be slothful and careless? Shall we neglect what is pleasing to God, and what he will graciously reward? May we closely watch every sense by which poison can enter our minds or affections.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

Bible Options

Sponsored Links