Parental Counsel

My son, if you have become a (A)guarantor for your neighbor,
Or have given a handshake for a stranger,
If you have been ensnared by the words of your mouth,
Or caught by the words of your mouth,
Then do this, my son, and save yourself:
Since you have come into the [a]hand of your neighbor,
Go, humble yourself, and be urgent with your neighbor to free yourself.
Give no (B)sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;
Save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand,
And like a (C)bird from the hand of the fowler.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:3 Lit palm

Practical Admonitions

My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor,
    have given your pledge for a stranger;
if you are snared in the utterance of your lips,[a]
    caught in the words of your mouth;
then do this, my son, and save yourself,
    for you have come into your neighbor’s power:
    go, hasten,[b] and importune your neighbor.
Give your eyes no sleep
    and your eyelids no slumber;
save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter,[c]
    like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:2 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb the words of your mouth
  2. Proverbs 6:3 Or humble yourself
  3. Proverbs 6:5 Cn: Heb hand