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Eighth Address to a Son:
Wisdom Avoids Entanglements

My son, if you have guaranteed your neighbor’s debts,
if you have shaken hands for a stranger,
you are trapped by the promises from your mouth;
you are captured by the promises from your mouth.
Because you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands,
go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.
Do not allow your eyes to sleep,
or your eyelids to slumber.
Save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of a hunter,
or like a bird from the hand of a trapper.

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15 Guaranteeing a loan for a stranger leads to trouble,
but one who hates to shake hands[a] remains secure.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:15 Or make a deal

18 A person without sense shakes hands
    to guarantee a loan for his neighbor.

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16 Take the garment from someone who guarantees a loan for a stranger.
Hold on to it when he offers it as collateral for a foreigner.

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26 Do not be among those who shake hands to guarantee debts.
27 If you do not have enough to repay,
why should your bed be taken out from under you?

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