1  My son, if you have put up ^esecurity for your neighbor,

have ^egiven your pledge for a stranger,

2  if you are ^fsnared in the words of your mouth,

caught in the words of your mouth,

3  then do this, my son, and save yourself,

for you have come into the hand of your neighbor:

go, hasten,¹ and ^gplead urgently with your neighbor.

4  ^hGive your eyes no sleep

and your eyelids no slumber;

5  save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,²

ⁱlike a bird from the hand of the fowler.

15  ^tWhoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,

but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.

18  One who lacks sense gives a pledge

and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

16  ^xTake a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,

and ^yhold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.¹

7  ^xThe rich rules over the poor,

and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

26  Be not one of those who ^ygive pledges,

who put up security for debts.

27  If you have nothing with which to pay,

why should ^zyour bed be taken from under you?

13  ^pTake a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,

and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.¹