Proverbs 6:20-35

New American Standard Bible 1995

^20 (A)My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not forsake the ^[a]teaching of your mother;
^21 (B)Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
²² When you ^(C)walk about, ^[b]they will guide you;
When you sleep, ^[c]they will watch over you;
And when you awake, ^[d]they will talk to you.
²³ For ^(D)the commandment is a lamp and the ^[e]teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
²⁴ To ^(E)keep you from the evil woman,
From the smooth tongue of the ^[f]adulteress.
^25 (F)Do not desire her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her capture you with her ^(G)eyelids.
²⁶ For ^(H)on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread,
And ^[g]an adulteress ^(I)hunts for the precious life.
²⁷ Can a man ^[h]take fire in his bosom
And his clothes not be burned?
²⁸ Or can a man walk on hot coals
And his feet not be scorched?
²⁹ So is the one who ^(J)goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her ^(K)will not ^[i]go unpunished.
^30 [j]Men do not despise a thief if he steals
To ^(L)satisfy ^[k]himself when he is hungry;
³¹ But when he is found, he must ^(M)repay sevenfold;
He must give all the ^[l]substance of his house.
³² The one who commits adultery with a woman is ^(N)lacking ^[m]sense;
He who would ^(O)destroy ^[n]himself does it.
³³ Wounds and disgrace he will find,
And his reproach will not be blotted out.
³⁴ For ^(P)jealousy ^[o]enrages a man,
And he will not spare in the ^(Q)day of vengeance.
³⁵ He will not ^[p]accept any ransom,
Nor will he be ^[q]satisfied though you give many ^[r]gifts.