Proverbs 6:20-35

Other Translations of Proverbs 6:20-35

King James Version

Warning against Adultery

²⁰ My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: ²¹ Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. ²² When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. ²³ For the commandment is a lamp; lamp: or, candle and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: ²⁴ To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. ²⁵ Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. ²⁶ For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress the adulteress: Heb. the woman of a man, or, a man's wife will hunt for the precious life. ²⁷ Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? ²⁸ Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? ²⁹ So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. ³⁰ Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; ³¹ But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. ³² But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: understanding: Heb. heart he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. ³³ A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. ³⁴ For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. ³⁵ He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

English Standard Version

Warning against Adultery

²⁰ My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. ²¹ Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. ²² When you walk, theyHebrew it; three times in this verse will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. ²³ For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, ²⁴ to preserve you from the evil woman,Revocalization (compare Septuagint) yields from the wife of a neighbor from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.Hebrew the foreign woman ²⁵ Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; ²⁶ for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread,Or (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate) for a prostitute leaves a man with nothing but a loaf of bread but a married womanHebrew a man's wife hunts down a precious life. ²⁷ Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? ²⁸ Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? ²⁹ So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; none who touches her will go unpunished. ³⁰ People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, ³¹ but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house. ³² He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. ³³ He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. ³⁴ For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. ³⁵ He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

The Message

Warning against Adultery

²⁰ Good friend, follow your father's good advice; don't wander off from your mother's teachings. ²¹ Wrap yourself in them from head to foot; wear them like a scarf around your neck. ²² Wherever you walk, they'll guide you; whenever you rest, they'll guard you; when you wake up, they'll tell you what's next. ²³ For sound advice is a beacon, good teaching is a light, moral discipline is a life path. ²⁴ They'll protect you from wanton women, from the seductive talk of some temptress. ²⁵ Don't lustfully fantasize on her beauty, nor be taken in by her bedroom eyes. ²⁶ You can buy an hour with a whore for a loaf of bread, but a wanton woman may well eat you alive. ²⁷ Can you build a fire in your lap and not burn your pants? ²⁸ Can you walk barefoot on hot coals and not get blisters? ²⁹ It's the same when you have sex with your neighbor's wife: Touch her and you'll pay for it. No excuses. ³⁰ Hunger is no excuse for a thief to steal; ³¹ When he's caught he has to pay it back, even if he has to put his whole house in hock. ³² Adultery is a brainless act, soul-destroying, self-destructive; ³³ Expect a bloody nose, a black eye, and a reputation ruined for good. ³⁴ For jealousy detonates rage in a cheated husband; wild for revenge, he won't make allowances. ³⁵ Nothing you say or pay will make it all right; neither bribes nor reason will satisfy him.

New King James Version

Warning against Adultery

²⁰ My son, keep your father's command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. ²¹ Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. ²² When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. ²³ For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, ²⁴ To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress. ²⁵ Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. ²⁶ For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. ²⁷ Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? ²⁸ Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared? ²⁹ So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent. ³⁰ People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. ³¹ Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. ³² Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. ³³ Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. ³⁴ For jealousy is a husband's fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. ³⁵ He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.

New Living Translation

Warning against Adultery

²⁰ My son, obey your father's commands, and don't neglect your mother's instruction. ²¹ Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. ²² When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. ²³ For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life. ²⁴ It will keep you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman. ²⁵ Don't lust for her beauty. Don't let her coy glances seduce you. ²⁶ For a prostitute will bring you to poverty, but sleeping with another man's wife will cost you your life. ²⁷ Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire? ²⁸ Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? ²⁹ So it is with the man who sleeps with another man's wife. He who embraces her will not go unpunished. ³⁰ Excuses might be found for a thief who steals because he is starving. ³¹ But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole, even if he has to sell everything in his house. ³² But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys himself. ³³ He will be wounded and disgraced. His shame will never be erased. ³⁴ For the woman's jealous husband will be furious, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. ³⁵ He will accept no compensation, nor be satisfied with a payoff of any size.