A. 1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared (yaqs) with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

B. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend;

C. go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

B’. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter,

A’. and as a bird from the hand of the fowler (yaqus).