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

if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

2 you have been trapped by what you said,

ensnared by the words of your mouth.

3 So do this, my son, to free yourself,

since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:

Go—to the point of exhaustion—

and give your neighbor no rest!

4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,

no 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.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;

consider its ways and be wise!

1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend,

If thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth,

Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself,

When thou art come into the hand of thy friend;

Go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes,

Nor slumber to thine eyelids.

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter,

And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard;

Consider her ways, and be wise:

1 My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt

or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—

2 if you have trapped yourself by your agreement

and are caught by what you said—

3 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.

4 Don’t put it off; do it now!

Don’t rest until you do.

5 Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter,

like a bird fleeing from a net.

6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.

Learn from their ways and become wise!

1 My son, if you become surety for your friend,

If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

2 You are snared by the words of your mouth;

You are taken by the words of your mouth.

3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;

For you have come into the hand of your friend:

Go and humble yourself;

Plead with your friend.

4 Give no sleep to your eyes,

Nor slumber to your eyelids.

5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,

And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!

Consider her ways and be wise,

1 My child, be careful about giving a guarantee for somebody else’s loan,

about promising to pay what someone else owes.

2 You might get trapped by what you say;

you might be caught by your own words.

3 My child, if you have done this and are under your neighbor’s control,

here is how to get free.

Don’t be proud. Go to your neighbor

and beg to be free from your promise.

4 Don’t go to sleep

or even rest your eyes,

5 but free yourself like a deer running from a hunter,

like a bird flying away from a trapper.

6 Go watch the ants, you lazy person.

Watch what they do and be wise.

1 My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor,

If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger;

2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth,

Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself,

Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor:

Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor;

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes,

Nor slumber to thine eyelids;

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter,

And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard;

Consider her ways, and be wise:

1 My son, if thou hast become surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand for a stranger, 2 thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, since thou hast come into the hand of thy friend: go, humble thyself, and be urgent with thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids: 5 deliver thyself as a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise:

1 My son, 

if you guarantee a loan for your neighbor 

or pledge yourself for a stranger with a handshake, 

2 you are trapped by the words of your own mouth, 

caught by your own promise. 

3 Do the following things, my son, so that you may free yourself, 

because you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: 

Humble yourself, 

and pester your neighbor. 

4 Don’t let your eyes rest 

or your eyelids close. 

5 Free yourself like a gazelle from the hand of a hunter 

and like a bird from the hand of a hunter. 

6 Consider the ant, you lazy bum. 

Watch its ways, and become wise. 

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

or entered into an agreement with a stranger,

2 you have been trapped by the words of your lips —

ensnared by the words of your mouth.

3 Do this, then, my son, and free yourself,

for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power:

Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.

4 Don’t give sleep to your eyes

or slumber to your eyelids.

5 Escape like a gazelle from a hunter,

like a bird from a fowler’s trap.

6 Go to the ant, you slacker!

Observe its ways and become wise.

1 My child, if you have given your pledge to your neighbor,

if you have bound yourself to another,

2 you are snared by the utterance of your lips,

caught by the words of your mouth.

3 So do this, my child, and save yourself,

for you have come into your neighbor’s power:

go, hurry, and plead with your neighbor.

4 Give your eyes no sleep

and your eyelids no slumber;

5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter,

like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you lazybones;

consider its ways, and be wise.

1 My child, if you have pledged to your neighbor,

if you have bound yourself to the stranger,

2 if you are snared by the sayings of your mouth,

if you are caught by the sayings of your mouth,

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

for you have come into the palm of your neighbor’s hand:

Go, humble yourself, plead with your neighbor.

4 Do not give sleep to your eyes,

or slumber to your eyelids.

5 Save yourself like a gazelle from a hand,

or like a bird from the hand of a fowler.

6 Go to the ant, lazy!

Consider its ways and be wise.

1 My son, don’t put up money for what your neighbor owes.

Don’t agree to pay up for someone else.

2 Don’t be trapped by what you have said.

Don’t be caught by the words of your mouth.

3 Instead, my son, do something to free yourself.

Don’t fall into your neighbor’s hands.

Don’t be proud.

Hurry and make your appeal to your neighbor.

4 Don’t let your eyes go to sleep.

Don’t let your eyelids close.

5 As a deer frees itself from a hunter, free yourself.

As a bird frees itself from a trapper, free yourself.

6 You people who don’t want to work, think about the ant!

Consider its ways and be wise!

1 My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor,

Have given a pledge for a stranger,

2 If you have been snared with the words of your mouth,

Have been caught with the words of your mouth,

3 Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself;

Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,

Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.

4 Give no sleep to your eyes,

Nor slumber to your eyelids;

5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand

And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, O sluggard,

Observe her ways and be wise,