Proverbs 6:1

Warnings Against Folly

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

Proverbs 6:1 in Other Translations

1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger,

1 My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—

1 Dear friend, if you've gone into hock with your neighbor or locked yourself into a deal with a stranger,

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor or entered into an agreement with a stranger,

Proverbs 6:1 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 6:1

My son, if thou be surety for thy friend
To another; hast engaged thyself by promise or bond, or both, to pay a debt for him, if he is not able, or if required; or hast laid thyself under obligation to any, to see the debt of another paid; [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger;
or "to" him ^F2; whom thou knowest not, and to whom thou owest nothing; and hast given him thine hand upon it, as well as thy word and bond, that what such an one owes him shall be paid; a gesture used in suretyship for the confirmation of it, ( Proverbs 17:18 ) ( 22:26 ) ; or, "for a stranger" ^F3 And the sense is, either if thou art become bound for a friend of thine, and especially if for a stranger thou knowest little or nothing of, this is a piece of rashness and weakness; or, as Gersom, if thou art a surety to thy friend for a stranger, this also is a great inadvertency and oversight. It is a rash and inconsiderate entering into suretyship that is here cautioned against; doing it without inquiring into, and having sufficient knowledge of the person engaged for; and without considering whether able to answer the obligation, if required, without hurting a man's self and family; otherwise suretyship may lawfully be entered into, and good be done by it, and no hurt to the surety himself and family. Jarchi interprets it of the Israelites engaging themselves to the Lord at Sinai, to keep his commandments.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (rzl) "extraneo", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Baynus, Mercerus, Gejerus, Cocceius, Schultens.
F3 "Pro alieno", Tigurine version; "pro alio peregrino", Michaelis.

Proverbs 6:1 In-Context

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.

Cross References

• 1. S Proverbs 1:8
• 2. Job 17:3
• 3. Proverbs 17:18
• 4. Proverbs 11:15; Proverbs 22:26-27