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My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor,
    if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
you are trapped by the words of your mouth;
    you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself,
    since you have come into the hand of your neighbor.
Go, humble yourself.
    Press your plea with your neighbor.
Give no sleep to your eyes,
    nor slumber to your eyelids.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
    like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

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Warnings Against Folly

My son,(A) if you have put up security(B) for your neighbor,(C)
    if you have shaken hands in pledge(D) for a stranger,
you have been trapped by what you said,
    ensnared by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my son, to free yourself,
    since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—[a]
    and give your neighbor no rest!
Allow no sleep to your eyes,
    no slumber to your eyelids.(E)
Free yourself, like a gazelle(F) from the hand of the hunter,(G)
    like a bird from the snare of the fowler.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:3 Or Go and humble yourself,

17 A friend loves at all times;
    and a brother is born for adversity.

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17 A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(A)

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10 If you falter in the time of trouble,
    your strength is small.

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Saying 25

10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
    how small is your strength!(A)

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10 Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend.
    Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster.
    A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother.

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10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
    and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster(A) strikes you—
    better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

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