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! ⁷ It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, ⁸ yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.