Proverbs 6

This was where I was stuck. And if I think too much, I will be stuck again. One professor told me my words must make sense. But what is the sense it must make?  Why should one not go surety for someone? What makes it a trap? Is the writer counselling narrowness and stinginess, the protection of one's own property? When someone supports another, this is good, not evil, unless the supporter brings on dependency. If you ignore verse 1 and imagine that it is some other disgraceful action that is being considered, then verses 2 and following make some sense.

There are times when the advice is purely male specific. Any attempt to take it out of this context is almost bound to fail. There are times when the female is metaphorical, either for Wisdom, desirable or for harlotry, undesirable for anyone male or female. Parts of this will be problematic to some theologies. Adultery is denied atonement (כפר). Perhaps the writer of verses 35 and 36 has bitter experience that prevents some cover-prices. It could be that jealousy is the subject of these sentences so I have read 'it' instead of 'he' (the aggrieved party). Certainly in the case of personification, I can allow the refusal of atonement to stand. Jealousy simply doesn't get a hearing in the final sentencing.

The term dissension in verse 14 and 19, I could have rendered with a modern commonplace, fake news. Even dissension is a strange gloss for this usually positive word, דין.

Verse 26 has its own character. It is phrased as a tricolon with a cadence after 12 syllables and a second cadence 4 syllables later. So pause in the reading. Harlotry seems OK in the final assize. I think our advisor here is a bit loose. In fact, all in all, I would take this chapter with a grain of salt.

Proverbs 6		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
בְּ֭נִי אִם־עָרַ֣בְתָּ לְרֵעֶ֑ךָ תָּקַ֖עְתָּ לַזָּ֣ר כַּפֶּֽיךָ	1	g	My child, if you give surety for your associate, you have guaranteed for a stranger your open palm.	3e	4B	10 8
נוֹקַ֥שְׁתָּ בְאִמְרֵי־פִ֑יךָ נִ֝לְכַּ֗דְתָּ בְּאִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ	2		You have laid a trap with the promises of your mouth. You are caught with the promises of your mouth.	3e	4A	7 7
עֲשֵׂ֨ה זֹ֥את אֵפ֪וֹא ׀ בְּנִ֡י וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗ל כִּ֘י בָ֤אתָ בְכַף־רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֵ֥ךְ הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗ס וּרְהַ֥ב רֵעֶֽיךָ	3		Do this here and now, my child, and deliver yourself, for you come into the palm of your associate. Go, submit yourself, and make bold to your associate.	3d	4C	19 9
אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן שֵׁנָ֣ה לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ	4		Do not give sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.	3e	4B	9 8
הִ֭נָּצֵל כִּצְבִ֣י מִיָּ֑ד וּ֝כְצִפּ֗וֹר מִיַּ֥ד יָקֽוּשׁ פ	5	g	Deliver yourself as a gazelle, from the hand, and as a bird, from the hand of a trapper.	3e	4B	7 8
לֵֽךְ־אֶל־נְמָלָ֥ה עָצֵ֑ל רְאֵ֖ה דְרָכֶ֣יהָ וַחֲכָֽם	6		Go toward the ant, sluggard. See her ways, and be shrewd.	3e	4B	7 9
אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ קָצִ֗ין שֹׁטֵ֥ר וּמֹשֵֽׁל	7		Though there is for her no dictator, overseer, or governor,	3e	3g	11
תָּכִ֣ין בַּקַּ֣יִץ לַחְמָ֑הּ אָגְרָ֥ה בַ֝קָּצִ֗יר מַאֲכָלָֽהּ	8		She prepares in the summer her bread, and she stockpiles at the harvest her food.	3e	4B	6 9
עַד־מָתַ֖י עָצֵ֥ל ׀ תִּשְׁכָּ֑ב מָ֝תַ֗י תָּק֥וּם מִשְּׁנָתֶֽךָ	9		How long, sluggard, will you lie down? When will you arise from your sleep?	3e	4A	7 8
מְעַ֣ט שֵׁ֭נוֹת מְעַ֣ט תְּנוּמ֑וֹת מְעַ֓ט ׀ חִבֻּ֖ק יָדַ֣יִם לִשְׁכָּֽב	10		A little sleep, a little slumber, a little clasping of hands to lie down,	3e	4B	9 8
וּבָֽא־כִמְהַלֵּ֥ךְ רֵאשֶׁ֑ךָ וּ֝מַחְסֹֽרְךָ֗ כְּאִ֣ישׁ מָגֵֽן פ	11		so comes, as a traveler, your want, and your deprivation, as someone shielded.	3e	4B	8 9
אָדָ֣ם בְּ֭לִיַּעַל אִ֣ישׁ אָ֑וֶן ה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְ עִקְּשׁ֥וּת פֶּֽה	12		A worthless human, a mischievous person, walks with a devious mouth.	3e	4B	9 5
קֹרֵ֣ץ בְּ֭עֵינָו מֹלֵ֣ל בְּרַגְלָ֑ו מֹ֝רֶ֗ה בְּאֶצְבְּעֹתָֽיו	13		It winks with its eyes, makes a speech with its feet, instructs with its toes.	3e	4B	10 7
תַּֽהְפֻּכ֨וֹת ׀ בְּלִבּ֗וֹ חֹרֵ֣שׁ רָ֣ע בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת מִדְיָנִ֥ים יְשַׁלֵּֽחַ	14		Waywardness in its heart, deaf to evil for all time, dissension it dispenses.	3e	4B	12 7
עַל־כֵּ֗ן פִּ֭תְאֹם יָב֣וֹא אֵיד֑וֹ פֶּ֥תַע יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗ר וְאֵ֣ין מַרְפֵּֽא פ	15		So, sudden will come his misfortune. Suddenly he is broken, and there is none to heal.	3e	4B	8 10
שֶׁשׁ־הֵ֭נָּה שָׂנֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝שֶׁ֗בַע תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת נַפְשֽׁוֹ	16		Six, behold, Yahweh hates, and seven, an abomination to him:	3e	4B	7 8
עֵינַ֣יִם רָ֭מוֹת לְשׁ֣וֹן שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝יָדַ֗יִם שֹׁפְכ֥וֹת דָּם־נָקִֽי	17		Eyes exalted, a false tongue, and hands shedding innocent blood,	3e	4B	8 8
לֵ֗ב חֹ֭רֵשׁ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת אָ֑וֶן רַגְלַ֥יִם מְ֝מַהֲר֗וֹת לָר֥וּץ לָֽרָעָה	18	~	A deaf heart, devising mischief, feet swift to race to evil,	3e	4B	8 11
יָפִ֣יחַ כְּ֭זָבִים עֵ֣ד שָׁ֑קֶר וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ מְ֝דָנִ֗ים בֵּ֣ין אַחִֽים פ	19		Snorting lies, a false witness, and sending dissension amid kin.	3e	4B	9 11
נְצֹ֣ר בְּ֭נִי מִצְוַ֣ת אָבִ֑יךָ וְאַל־תִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁ תּוֹרַ֥ת אִמֶּֽךָ	20		Preserve, my child, your father's commandment, and do not abandon your mother's instruction.	3e	4B	9 9
קָשְׁרֵ֣ם עַל־לִבְּךָ֣ תָמִ֑יד עָ֝נְדֵ֗ם עַל־גַּרְגְּרֹתֶֽךָ	21		Fasten them against your heart continually. Tie them against your gullet.	3e	4B	7 8
בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ֨ ׀ תַּנְחֶ֬ה אֹתָ֗ךְ בְּֽ֭שָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר עָלֶ֑יךָ וַ֝הֲקִיצ֗וֹתָ הִ֣יא תְשִׂיחֶֽךָ	22		When you go, she will guide you. When you lie down, she will guard beside you. And when you awaken, she will ponder you.	3e	4B	18 10
כִּ֤י נֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה וְת֣וֹרָה א֑וֹר וְדֶ֥רֶךְ חַ֝יִּ֗ים תּוֹכְח֥וֹת מוּסָֽר	23	C	For a command is a lamp, and instruction light, and the way of life, reproof of chastening,	3e	4C	8 9
לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת רָ֑ע מֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗ת לָשׁ֥וֹן נָכְרִיָּֽה	24	g	To keep you from the woman of evil, from the flattery of an alien tongue.	3e	4B	7 8
אַל־תַּחְמֹ֣ד יָ֭פְיָהּ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְאַל־תִּ֝קָּֽחֲךָ֗ בְּעַפְעַפֶּֽיהָ	25		You will not covet her beauty in your heart, and you will not let her take you with her eyelids.	3e	4B	9 11
כִּ֤י בְעַד־אִשָּׁ֥ה זוֹנָ֗ה עַֽד־כִּכַּ֫ר לָ֥חֶם וְאֵ֥שֶׁת אִ֑ישׁ נֶ֖פֶשׁ יְקָרָ֣ה תָצֽוּד	26	C	For concerning a woman of harlotry? up to a talent of bread. But a man's woman, a precious self hunts.	3e	4C	12 4 7
הֲיַחְתֶּ֤ה אִ֓ישׁ אֵ֬שׁ בְּחֵיק֑וֹ וּ֝בְגָדָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִשָּׂרַֽפְנָה	27		Can anyone take hold fire in its embrace, and its garments not be incinerated?	3e	4C	8 8
אִם־יְהַלֵּ֣ךְ אִ֭ישׁ עַל־הַגֶּחָלִ֑ים וְ֝רַגְלָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִכָּוֶֽינָה	28		Can anyone walk on the burning coals, and its feet not be branded?	3e	4B	10 8
כֵּ֗ן הַ֭בָּא אֶל־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֑הוּ לֹ֥א יִ֝נָּקֶ֗ה כָּֽל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּֽהּ	29	~	So the one coming to the woman of his associate, will not be innocent of anything touching her.	3e	4B	9 10
לֹא־יָב֣וּזוּ לַ֭גַּנָּב כִּ֣י יִגְנ֑וֹב לְמַלֵּ֥א נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ כִּ֣י יִרְעָֽב	30		Not to contempt they would hold a thief, for it steals to fill itself, for it is hungry.	3e	4B	9 8
וְ֭נִמְצָא יְשַׁלֵּ֣ם שִׁבְעָתָ֑יִם אֶת־כָּל־ה֖וֹן בֵּית֣וֹ יִתֵּֽן	31	g	But if found, it will repay seven times. All the value of its house it gives.	3e	4B	10 7
נֹאֵ֣ף אִשָּׁ֣ה חֲסַר־לֵ֑ב מַֽשְׁחִ֥ית נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ ה֣וּא יַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה	32		Adultery with a woman is lacking in heart. Destroying himself is he who does this.	3e	4B	7 9
נֶֽגַע־וְקָל֥וֹן יִמְצָ֑א וְ֝חֶרְפָּת֗וֹ לֹ֣א תִמָּחֶֽה	33		Contagion and disgrace he finds, and his reproach will not be wiped out.	3e	4B	7 8
כִּֽי־קִנְאָ֥ה חֲמַת־גָּ֑בֶר וְלֹֽא־יַ֝חְמ֗וֹל בְּי֣וֹם נָקָֽם	34		For jealousy is the heat of valour, and it will not pity in the day of vengeance.	3e	4B	7 8
לֹא־יִ֭שָּׂא פְּנֵ֣י כָל־כֹּ֑פֶר וְלֹֽא־יֹ֝אבֶ֗ה כִּ֣י תַרְבֶּה־שֹֽׁחַד פ	35		Nothing will it bear in the face of any cover-price, and it will fail to consent, when you increase bribes.	3e	4B	7 9