Proverbs

Proverbs 6:1–5

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.

⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,^b

like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

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

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Free yourself	הִ֭נָּצֵל	hin·nā·ṣêl	Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular	H5337 strip, plunder
like a gazelle	כִּצְבִ֣י	kiṣ·ḇî	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H6643 beauty, honour
from the hand	מִיָּ֑ד	mî·yāḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H3027 hand
like a bird	וּ֝כְצִפּ֗וֹר	ū·ḵə·ṣip·pō·wr	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Noun - common singular	H6833 bird
from the snare	מִיַּ֥ד	mî·yaḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
of the fowler	יָקֽוּשׁ׃פ	yā·qūš	Noun - masculine singular	H3353 id.