1. My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debtor agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger—
2. if you have trapped yourself by your agreementand 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!