Dangerous Promises

My son, (A)if you become [a]surety for your friend,
If you have [b]shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
(B)Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the [c]fowler.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:1 guaranty or collateral
  2. Proverbs 6:1 Lit. struck
  3. Proverbs 6:5 One who catches birds in a trap or snare

Against Pledges

My child, if you have pledged to your neighbor,
    if you have bound yourself[a] to the stranger,
if you are snared by the sayings of your mouth,
    if you are caught by the sayings of your mouth,
do this, then, my child, and save yourself,
    for you have come into the palm of your neighbor’s hand:[b]
    Go, humble yourself, plead with your neighbor.
Do not give sleep to your eyes,
    or slumber to your eyelids.
Save yourself like a gazelle from a hand,
    or like a bird from the hand of a fowler.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:1 Literally “palms of your hands”
  2. Proverbs 6:3 Literally “the palm of the hand of your neighbor”