1  My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbour, if thou hast struck thy hands for a stranger--

1  My son, if thou become surety for thy friend, thou shalt deliver thine hand to an enemy.

1  My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,

2  Thou art snared by the words of thy mouth, thou art caught by the words of thy mouth--

2  For a man’s own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.

2  then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.

3  Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbour; go, humble thyself, and urge thy neighbour.

3  My son, do what I command thee, and deliver thyself; for on thy friend’s account thou art come into the power of evil men: faint not, but stir up even thy friend for whom thou art become surety.

3  Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.

4  Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

4  Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber.

4  You shall not give sleep to your eyes nor slumber to your eyelids.

5  Deliver thyself as a gazelle from the hand of the hunter , and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

5  that thou mayest deliver thyself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.