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My son, if you will risk your family’s future to put up collateral for the debts of an acquaintance,
    if you seal a commitment with a handshake to someone without first knowing the value of his word,
Then your words may well be the trap that snares you,
    and your promise may seal your fate.
    You can’t be sure to whom you hitched your future.
So, my son—save yourself! Here’s what you need to do:
    go to that person who became your master with a handshake,
    humble yourself, and plead your case.
Do not sleep;
    don’t even rest your eyes until you deal with this.
Get out as quickly as possible,
    as a gazelle runs from the hand of the hunter,
    as a bird takes off from the grip of the fowler.

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15 Trouble compounds when you guarantee a stranger’s debt,
    but you’ll be safe if you refuse the pledge.

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18 Only a fool shakes hands on a deal
    and guarantees repayment of someone else’s loan.

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16 If someone guarantees a stranger’s debt, hold his garment as collateral;
    if that stranger is a foreigner, hold the creditor responsible.

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The rich lord it over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave to the lender.

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26 Do not be a person to guarantee someone else’s loan
    or put up collateral for the debts of an acquaintance;
27 For if you do and you can’t repay,
    won’t you risk having your bed ripped out from under you?

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13 If someone guarantees a stranger’s debt, hold his garment as collateral;
    if that guarantee is for the debt of a foreigner, make sure you get a deposit.

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