Proverbs 6:27

Modern

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

Traditional

Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

Literal

Can a man seize fire in his bosom, and his garments not be burned?

Latin

Numquid potest homo abscondere ignem in sinu suo, ut vestimenta illius non ardeant?

Hebrew

English

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

walk on hot coals: Yes, this will cause his feet to blister. The results are terrible.

This passage highlights the serious danger of having a relationship with another man's wife (see also Proverbs 1:8, 23; 2:16–22; 5:1–23; 7:1–27).

Theme notes and profiles

Job 31:9–12
If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,
Hosea 7:4–7
They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough.
James 3:5
In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.