Proverbs 6:31

Modern

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

Traditional

But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

Literal

…and having been found, he must repay sevenfold; all the wealth of his house he must give.

Latin

…deprehensus quoque reddet septuplum, et omnem substantiam domus suæ tradet.

Hebrew

English

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

Sevenfold likely means "a large amount" because the law did not require such high repayment (see Exodus 22:1, 4, 9).

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

Luke 19:8
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
2 Samuel 12:6
Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
Exodus 22:1–4
“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
Job 20:18
He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
Matthew 18:25
Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.