Proverbs

Proverbs 6:1–4

¹My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,

if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,

²if you have been trapped by the words of your lips,

ensnared by the words of your mouth,

³then do this, my son, to free yourself,

for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:

Go, humble yourself,^a

and press your plea with your neighbor.

⁴Allow no sleep to your eyes

or slumber to your eyelids.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My son	בְּ֭נִי	bə·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1121 son
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
you have put up security	עָרַ֣בְתָּ	‘ā·raḇ·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6148 take on pledge, give in pledge, exchange
for your neighbor	לְרֵעֶ֑ךָ	lə·rê·‘e·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H7453 shouting, roar
if you have struck hands in pledge	תָּקַ֖עְתָּ	tā·qa‘·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H8628 thrust, clap, give a blow, blast
with a stranger	לַזָּ֣ר	laz·zār	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H2114 be a stranger

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
if you have been trapped	נוֹקַ֥שְׁתָּ	nō·w·qaš·tā	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3369 lay a bait or lure
by the words	בְאִמְרֵי־	ḇə·’im·rê-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H561 something said
of your lips	פִ֑יךָ	p̄î·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
ensnared	נִ֝לְכַּ֗דְתָּ	nil·kaḏ·tā	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3920 capture, seize, take (by lot)
by the words	בְּאִמְרֵי־	bə·’im·rê-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H561 something said
of your mouth	פִֽיךָ׃	p̄î·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6310 mouth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
then	אֵפ֪וֹא׀	’ê·p̄ō·w	Conjunction	H645 then
do	עֲשֵׂ֨ה	‘ă·śêh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
this	זֹ֥את	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
my son	בְּנִ֡י	bə·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1121 son
to free yourself	וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗ל	wə·hin·nā·ṣêl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular	H5337 strip, plunder
for	כִּ֘י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you have fallen	בָ֤אתָ	ḇā·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
into your neighbor’s	רֵעֶ֑ךָ	rê·‘e·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H7453 shouting, roar
hands	בְכַף־	ḇə·ḵap̄-	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3709 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan
Go	לֵ֥ךְ	lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
humble yourself	הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗ס	hiṯ·rap·pês	Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine singular	H7511 stamp, tread, foul by stamping, treading
and press your plea	וּרְהַ֥ב	ū·rə·haḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7292 act stormily, boisterously, arrogantly
with your neighbor	רֵעֶֽיךָ׃	rê·‘e·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H7453 shouting, roar

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Allow	תִּתֵּ֣ן	tit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
no	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
sleep	שֵׁנָ֣ה	šê·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8142 sleep
to your eyes	לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ	lə·‘ê·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye
or slumber	וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה	ū·ṯə·nū·māh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8572 slumber
to your eyelids	לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃	lə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine dual construct; second person masculine singular	H6079 eyelid