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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Proverbs 17:18

It is not wise to promise to pay what your neighbor owes.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Contracts;   Hand;   Prudence;   Surety (Guarantee);   Thompson Chain Reference - Business Life;   Credit System;   Suretyship;   The Topic Concordance - Understanding;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hands, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Fool, folly;   Lending;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Friend, Friendship;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Debtor;   Loan;   Surety;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fool, Foolishness, and Folly;   Friend, Friendship;   Gestures;   Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Covenant;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Suretiship;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Earnest;   Loan;   Suretyship;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Debts;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fool;   Strike;   Surety;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hand;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A man destitute of vnderstanding, toucheth the hande, and becommeth suretie for his neighbour.
Christian Standard Bible®
One without sense enters an agreementand puts up security for his friend.
Hebrew Names Version
A man void of understanding strikes hands, And becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
Easy-to-Read Version
Only a fool would promise to pay for someone else's debts.
Amplified Bible
A man lacking common sense gives a pledge And becomes guarantor [for the debt of another] in the presence of his neighbor.
American Standard Version
A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.
Contemporary English Version
It's stupid to guarantee someone else's loan.
Complete Jewish Bible
He who gives his hand to guarantee a loan for his neighbor lacks good sense.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.
King James Version (1611)
A man void of vnderstanding striketh hands, and becommeth suretie in the presence of his friend.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A foolish man applauds and rejoices over himself, as he also that becomes surety would make himself responsible for his own friends.
English Revised Version
A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.
Berean Standard Bible
A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
Lexham English Bible
A person who lacks sense pledges; he becomes security before his neighbor.
Literal Translation
A man lacking heart strikes the hand, he pledges in the presence of his friend.
New English Translation
The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge, and puts up financial security for his neighbor.
New King James Version
A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend.
New Living Translation
It's poor judgment to guarantee another person's debt or put up security for a friend.
New Life Bible
A man without good thinking makes promises, and becomes a trust for what another man owes his neighbor.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A man lacking sense, is one who striketh hands, giving security, before his neighbour.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.
George Lamsa Translation
A foolish man pledges himself, for he becomes surety for his friend.
Good News Translation
Only someone with no sense would promise to be responsible for someone else's debts.
New American Standard Bible
A person lacking in sense shakes hands And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
King James Version
A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Who so promiseth by the hande and is suretie for his neighbour, he is a foole.
New Revised Standard
It is senseless to give a pledge, to become surety for a neighbor.
Darby Translation
A senseless man striketh hands, becoming surety for his neighbour.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A fonned man schal make ioie with hondis, whanne he hath bihiyt for his frend.
Young's Literal Translation
A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.
World English Bible
A man void of understanding strikes hands, And becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
Revised Standard Version
A man without sense gives a pledge, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.
Update Bible Version
[A] man void of understanding strikes hands, And becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.
Webster's Bible Translation
A man void of understanding striketh hands, [and] becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
Bible in Basic English
A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Who so promiseth by the hande, & is suertie for another, he is a foole.
THE MESSAGE
It's stupid to try to get something for nothing, or run up huge bills you can never pay.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A man lacking in sense pledges And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.
Legacy Standard Bible
A man lacking a heart of wisdom strikes his hands in pledgeAnd becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

Contextual Overview

18 It is not wise to promise to pay what your neighbor owes.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

void: Proverbs 6:1-5, Proverbs 11:15, Proverbs 20:16, Proverbs 22:16, Proverbs 22:27

understanding: Heb. heart

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:11 - carry down Job 17:3 - strike Psalms 112:5 - he will Proverbs 22:26 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 4:12
You will work the ground, but it will not grow good crops for you anymore, and you will wander around on the earth."
Genesis 4:14
Today you have forced me to stop working the ground, and now I must hide from you. I must wander around on the earth, and anyone who meets me can kill me."
Psalms 4:6
Many people ask, "Who will give us anything good?" Lord , be kind to us.
Psalms 41:12
Because I am innocent, you support me and will let me be with you forever.
Isaiah 59:2
It is your evil that has separated you from your God. Your sins cause him to turn away from you, so he does not hear you.
Jeremiah 32:39
I will make them truly want to be one people with one goal. They will truly want to worship me all their lives, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
Acts 2:39
This promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A man void of understanding striketh hands,.... With his friend's creditor, and becomes surety for him; and thereby acts a very unwise part, and shows himself to want understanding, by taking such a step, which may prove the ruin of himself and family: for though a man may and should love his friend at all times; yet he is not obliged, under a notion of friendship, to injure himself and his family, or to run the risk of it; if he does, it is a plain case he wants wisdom and discretion, see Proverbs 6:1;

[and] becometh surety in the presence of his friend; not the creditor, but the debtor; and to pass his word for him, when he is present, shows that his own word will not be taken; and that he is either thought to be in bad circumstances, and incapable of payment at the proper time; or else that he is a bad man, of dishonest principles, and will not; and in either case it is not advisable to become surety for such a man: and besides, doing it in his presence may make him more careless and unconcerned about making good his payment or contract at the appointed time, when he knows his friend is engaged him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare the marginal reference. Since nothing is nobler than the self-sacrifice of the true friend Proverbs 17:17, so nothing is more contemptible than the weakness which allows itself to be sacrificed for the sake of worthless associates.

In the presence of his friend - i. e., “On behalf of” or “to his friend for some third person.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 17:18. Striketh handsStriking each other's hands, or shaking hands, was anciently the form in concluding a contract. Proverbs 6:1.


 
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