6 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor,
    if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
² you are trapped by the words of your mouth;
    you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
³ 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.
⁴ Give no sleep to your eyes,
    nor slumber to your eyelids.
⁵ Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
    like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

²⁶ Don’t you be one of those who strike hands,
    of those who are collateral for debts.
²⁷ If you don’t have means to pay,
    why should he take away your bed from under you?