It is a snare ¹  for a person ²  to rashly cry, ³  “Holy!” and only afterward to consider ⁴  what he has vowed. ⁵ 

biblegateway Pro 20:25

It is a trap for a man to say rashly, "It is holy!" And after the vows to make inquiry.

It is a trap for anyone to dedicate something rashly and later to reconsider his vows.

It is a trap for a person to say impulsively, "This is a holy offering!" and later to have second thoughts about those vows.

biblegateway Pro 20:25

It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.

It is a snare to say rashly, "It is holy," and to reflect only after making vows.

bibleoremus Pro 20:25

It is a snare for one to say rashly, "It is holy," and begin to reflect only after making a vow.

It is dangerous to dedicate a gift rashly, to make a vow and then have second thoughts.

biblegateway Pro 20:25

It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.

[It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

biblegateway Pro 20:25

It is a snare ¹  for a person ²  to rashly cry, ³  “Holy!” and only afterward to consider ⁴  what he has vowed. ⁵ 

¹ sn It would be a “snare” because it would lead people into financial difficulties; Leviticus 27 talks about foolish or rash vows.

² tn Heb “a man.”

³ tn The verb is from לוּע (lu’) or לָעַע (la’a’); it means “to talk wildly” (not to be confused with the homonym “to swallow”). It occurs here and in Job 6:3.

³ sn This refers to speaking rashly in dedicating something to the sanctuary by calling it “Holy.”

⁴ tn Heb “reflect on.” The person is to consider the vows before making them, to ensure that they can be fulfilled. Too many people make their vow or promise without thinking, and then later worry about how they will fulfill their vows.

⁵ tn Heb “the vows” (so NASB); CEV “promises.”