Paragraph 22:26–27 Saying 3
22:26
This verse warns the listener that he should not cosign or promise to pay someone else’s debt. The underlined parallel phrases both refer to the same agreement. Both phrases also refer to the person who guarantees the loan (loan guarantor).
26a Do not be one who gives pledges,
26b who puts up security for debts
The first phrase refers to the gesture that finalizes the agreement. The second phrase specifies that the agreement is about guaranteeing to pay another person’s debt.
Similar verses about guaranteeing a loan occur in 6:1, 11:15, 17:18, and 20:16. All of these verses have minor variations. For example, in 6:1 and 11:15, the underlined parts occur in the opposite order from 17:18 and 22:26. See the notes on each verse for specific details and translation advice.
22:26a–b
Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts: In Hebrew, this command is more literally “Do not be among ⌊those who⌋ strike a palm, among ⌊those who⌋ stand surety for debts.” The form of this command indicates that there are people who guarantee to pay someone else’s debt. The reader should not be one of them.
Another way to express this meaning is:
Do not be one of those who… (New Revised Standard Version)
In some languages, it may not be necessary or natural to state this part of the meaning explicitly. Some versions leave it implied. For example:
Don’t promise to pay what someone else owes… (New Century Version)
one who gives pledges: This phrase refers to a person who strikes or claps the palm of another person. The function of this gesture was to conclude a legal or financial agreement. Some ways to translate this gesture are:
• Use a gesture or action that has the same function in your culture. For example:
finalizes his promise by shaking hands
-or-
cosigns another person’s loan
• Translate the meaning without referring to a particular gesture or action. See the quotes from the Contemporary English Version and Good News Translation under the General Comment on 22:26a–b.
puts up security for debts: This phrase refers here to anything that the loan guarantor does to guarantee to the money lender that he will be personally responsible to pay the debt. He may give the lender his own garment (see 20:16), cosign the loan, or publicly swear to give the lender his own property. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
⌊Don’t⌋ …put up security for someone else (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
don’t guarantee anyone’s loan (New Century Version)
General Comment on 22:26a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel lines. For example:
Don’t guarantee to pay someone else’s debt. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Don’t promise to be responsible for someone else’s debts. (Good News Translation)
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