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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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Lessons for Daily Life

My child,[a] if you have put up security for a friend’s debt
    or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—
if you have trapped yourself by your agreement
    and are caught by what you said—
follow my advice and save yourself,
    for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy.
Now swallow your pride;
    go and beg to have your name erased.
Don’t put it off; do it now!
    Don’t rest until you do.
Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter,
    like a bird fleeing from a net.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:1 Hebrew My son.

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

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17 A friend is always loyal,
    and a brother is born to help in time of need.

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

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10 If you fail under pressure,
    your strength is too small.

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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 Never abandon a friend—
    either yours or your father’s.
When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance.
    It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.

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