It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend.

在邻舍面前击掌作保乃是无知的人。

在邻舍面前击掌担保的，是无知的人。

在邻舍面前击掌担保的，是无知的人。

无知的人才会为他人作保。

为邻舍击掌作保证人的，是无知的人。

缺乏心智的人击掌起誓，在他的邻人面前作保。

在鄰舍面前擊掌作保乃是無知的人。

在鄰舍面前擊掌擔保的，是無知的人。

在鄰舍面前擊掌擔保的，是無知的人。

無知的人才會為他人作保。

為鄰舍擊掌作保證人的，是無知的人。

拍掌擔保的、是全無心思的人；為鄰舍作保的毫無知識。

缺乏心智的人擊掌起誓，在他的鄰人面前作保。

在鄰里前拊掌作保、其人乃為無知、

為友中保、以物質人、是為不智。

無知之人、輕易應許、為鄰作保、

One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.

A person who has no sense agrees to pay what other people owe. It isn’t wise to promise to pay other people’s bills.

One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

One without sense enters an agreement and puts up security for his friend.

A person lacking in sense shakes hands And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend.

A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.

One without sense enters an agreement and puts up security for his friend.

A man void of understanding striketh hands,[ and] becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge, and puts up financial security for his neighbor.

A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.

My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said—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.Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do.Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net.

There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt; it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.

Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.

A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.

Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone else.If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.