Study Desk

My son, if you have become a guarantor for your neighbor, Or have given a handshake for a stranger,

My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

If you have been ensnared by the words of your mouth, Or caught by the words of your mouth,

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

Then do this, my son, and save yourself: Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and be urgent with your neighbor to free yourself.

Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;

Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

Save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter's hand, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

One who is a guarantor for a stranger will certainly suffer for it, But one who hates being a guarantor is secure.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

A person lacking in sense shakes hands And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

Take his garment when he becomes guarantor for a stranger; And for foreigners, seize a pledge from him.

Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave.

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Do not be among those who shake hands, Among those who become guarantors for debts.

Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

If you have nothing with which to repay, Why should he take your bed from under you?

If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

Take his garment when he becomes a guarantor for a stranger; And for a foreign woman seize a pledge from him.

Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.