Focused Passage

Proverbs 6:20-35

Wisdom Against Entrapment: Surety, Sloth, Wicked Speech, and Adultery

The chapter moves through five danger zones: financial entrapment, lazy neglect, corrupt character, sins detestable to the LORD, and adulterous desire. It then anchors protection in fatherly and motherly instruction that functions as lamp, light, and corrective way of life.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

21 Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.

22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

23 For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,

24 to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

25 Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.

26 For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

27 Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?

28 Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?

29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

30 Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.

31 Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.

32 He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

33 Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.

34 For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.

35 He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

My son בְּ֭נִי H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular keep נְצֹ֣ר H5341 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular your father’s אָבִ֑יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular commandment מִצְוַ֣ת H4687 Noun - feminine singular construct and do not וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb forsake תִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁ H5203 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your mother’s אִמֶּֽךָ׃ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular teaching תּוֹרַ֥ת H8451 Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 21

Original words

Bind them קָשְׁרֵ֣ם H7194 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine plural always תָמִ֑יד H8548 Adverb upon עַל־ H5921 Preposition your heart לִבְּךָ֣ H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular tie them עָ֝נְדֵ֗ם H6029 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine plural around עַל־ H5921 Preposition your neck גַּרְגְּרֹתֶֽךָ׃ H1621 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

When you walk בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ֨׀ H1980 Preposition-b | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular they will guide you תַּנְחֶ֬ה H5148 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular when you אֹתָ֗ךְ H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine singular lie down בְּֽ֭שָׁכְבְּךָ H7901 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular they will watch תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר H8104 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular over you עָלֶ֑יךָ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular when you awake וַ֝הֲקִיצ֗וֹתָ H6974 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular they הִ֣יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular will speak to you תְשִׂיחֶֽךָ׃ H7878 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction this commandment מִ֭צְוָה H4687 Noun - feminine singular is a lamp נֵ֣ר H5216 Noun - masculine singular this teaching וְת֣וֹרָה H8451 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular [is] a light א֑וֹר H216 Noun - common singular and the reproofs תּוֹכְח֥וֹת H8433 Noun - feminine plural construct of discipline מוּסָֽר׃ H4148 Noun - masculine singular are the way וְדֶ֥רֶךְ H1870 Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct to life חַ֝יִּ֗ים H2416 Noun - masculine plural
Verse 24

Original words

to keep you לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָ H8104 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular from the evil רָ֑ע H7451 Adjective - masculine singular woman מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת H802 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct from the smooth מֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗ת H2513 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct tongue לָשׁ֥וֹן H3956 Noun - common singular of the adulteress נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ H5237 Adjective - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or the stranger
Verse 25

Original words

Do not אַל־ H408 Adverb lust תַּחְמֹ֣ד H2530 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular in your heart בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ H3824 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular . . . וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb for her beauty יָ֭פְיָהּ H3308 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular or let her captivate you תִּ֝קָּֽחֲךָ֗ H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singular with her eyes בְּעַפְעַפֶּֽיהָ׃ H6079 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine dual construct | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or eyelids or eyelashes
Verse 26

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction the levy בְעַד־ H1157 Preposition vvv אִשָּׁ֥ה H802 Noun - feminine singular of the prostitute זוֹנָ֗ה H2181 Noun - feminine singular is poverty כִּכַּ֫ר H3603 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . לָ֥חֶם H3899 Noun - masculine singular . . . עַֽד־ H5704 Preposition and the adulteress וְאֵ֥שֶׁת H802 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct . . . אִ֑ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular preys upon תָצֽוּד׃פ H6679 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular your very יְקָרָ֣ה H3368 Adjective - feminine singular life נֶ֖פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Literally a crust of bread
Verse 27

Original words

Can a man אִ֓ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular embrace הֲיַחְתֶּ֤ה H2846 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . בְּחֵיק֑וֹ H2436 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular fire אֵ֬שׁ H784 Noun - common singular and his clothes וּ֝בְגָדָ֗יו H899 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be burned תִשָּׂרַֽפְנָה׃ H8313 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Verse 28

Original words

Can אִם־ H518 Conjunction a man אִ֭ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular walk יְהַלֵּ֣ךְ H1980 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition hot coals הַגֶּחָלִ֑ים H1513 Article | Noun - masculine plural without לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle scorching תִכָּוֶֽינָה׃ H3554 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural his feet וְ֝רַגְלָ֗יו H7272 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 29

Original words

So כֵּ֗ן H3651 Adverb is he who sleeps with הַ֭בָּא H935 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition another man’s רֵעֵ֑הוּ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular wife אֵ֣שֶׁת H802 Noun - feminine singular construct no one לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . כָּֽל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct who touches הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ H5060 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular her בָּֽהּ׃ Preposition | third person feminine singular will go unpunished יִ֝נָּקֶ֗ה H5352 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

[Men] do not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle despise יָב֣וּזוּ H936 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural the thief לַ֭גַּנָּב H1590 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular if כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction he steals יִגְנ֑וֹב H1589 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to satisfy לְמַלֵּ֥א H4390 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct his נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular vvv כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction hunger יִרְעָֽב׃ H7456 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 31

Original words

Yet if caught וְ֭נִמְצָא H4672 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular he must pay יְשַׁלֵּ֣ם H7999 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular sevenfold שִׁבְעָתָ֑יִם H7659 Number - fd - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker he must give up יִתֵּֽן׃ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the wealth ה֖וֹן H1952 Noun - masculine singular construct of his house בֵּית֣וֹ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 32

Original words

He who commits adultery נֹאֵ֣ף H5003 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular . . . אִשָּׁ֣ה H802 Noun - feminine singular lacks חֲסַר־ H2638 Adjective - masculine singular construct judgment לֵ֑ב H3820 Noun - masculine singular whoever ה֣וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular does so יַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular destroys מַֽשְׁחִ֥ית H7843 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular himself נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 33

Original words

Wounds נֶֽגַע־ H5061 Noun - masculine singular and dishonor וְקָל֥וֹן H7036 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular will befall him יִמְצָ֑א H4672 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and his reproach וְ֝חֶרְפָּת֗וֹ H2781 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular will never לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be wiped away תִמָּחֶֽה׃ H4229 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 34

Original words

For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction jealousy קִנְאָ֥ה H7068 Noun - feminine singular enrages a husband חֲמַת־ H2534 Noun - feminine singular construct . . . גָּ֑בֶר H1397 Noun - masculine singular and he will show no וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle mercy יַ֝חְמ֗וֹל H2550 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in the day בְּי֣וֹם H3117 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of vengeance נָקָֽם׃ H5359 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 35

Original words

He will not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be appeased יִ֭שָּׂא H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . פְּנֵ֣י H6440 Noun - common plural construct by any כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct ransom כֹּ֑פֶר H3724 Noun - masculine singular [or] וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle persuaded יֹ֝אבֶ֗ה H14 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction by lavish תַרְבֶּה־ H7235 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular gifts שֹֽׁחַד׃פ H7810 Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.