1 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, If you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger;
He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it, But he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.
A man void of understanding strikes hands, And becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
"Now give a pledge, be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?
Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; And hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I don't bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.' Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, a bondservant to my lord; and let the boy go up with his brothers.
Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger; Hold it for a wayward woman!
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 6
Commentary on Proverbs 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
In this chapter we have,
We are here dissuaded from sin very much by arguments borrowed from our secular interests, for it is not only represented as damning in the other world, but as impoverishing in this.
Pro 6:1-5
It is the excellency of the word of God that it teaches us not only divine wisdom for another world, but human prudence for this world, that we may order our affairs with discretion; and this is one good rule, To avoid suretiship, because by it poverty and ruin are often brought into families, which take away that comfort in relations which he had recommended in the foregoing chapter.
But how are we to understand this? We are not to think it is unlawful in any case to become surety, or bail, for another; it may be a piece of justice or charity; he that has friends may see cause in this instance to show himself friendly, and it may be no piece of imprudence. Paul became bound for Onesimus, Philem. 19. We may help a young man into business that we know to be honest and diligent, and gain him credit by passing our word for him, and so do him a great kindness without any detriment to ourselves. But,
Pro 6:6-11
Solomon, in these verses, addresses himself to the sluggard who loves his ease, lives in idleness, minds no business, sticks to nothing, brings nothing to pass, and in a particular manner is careless in the business of religion. Slothfulness is as sure a way to poverty, though not so short a way, as rash suretiship. He speaks here to the sluggard,
Pro 6:12-19
Solomon here gives us,
Pro 6:20-35
Here is,