The Hebrew text, as seen in the Revised Standard Version, has in verses 1-2 two long “if” clauses, which are followed in verse 3 by a command. This may require some restructuring to make the sense clear. One way is to shift the “if” clauses to negative commands, and then continue to verse 3 by saying, for example, “But if you have been caught. . ..”
“My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor”: For “My son” see 1.8. The situation given here is imagined, and translations should reflect that fact. For example, Contemporary English Version says “My child, suppose you. . ..” “Become surety” means to accept the responsibility to pay the moneylender if the borrower of the money fails to pay. The Hebrew word means to give a pledge and was used in ancient Israel as a promise to do something. An example is that in Gen 43.9, where Judah pledges to Jacob that he will be surety for Benjamin’s safe return. The meaning of “become surety” may have to be spelled out fully in some languages; for example, “If another man has borrowed money, and you have promised to pay this money back if he is not able to. . ..”
“Neighbor” translates the noun form of a verb that means to associate with. “Neighbor” is not necessarily to be thought of as someone who lives nearby. The word is more equivalent to “companion,” “friend,” “colleague,” or more generally “another person.” Refer to 3.28.
“Have given your pledge for a stranger”: In Revised Standard Version this clause is not marked as conditional, but the parallel structure makes it so; New Revised Standard Version begins “if you have. . ..” This line is literally “If you have struck your palms [hand] with a foreigner.” This gesture refers to concluding an agreement and is similar to shaking hands to signal that two parties have agreed to do something. For an example of such an agreement see the case of Jehu and Jehonadab in 2 Kgs 10.15. Some take the word “stranger” to refer to an alien or non-Israelite and conclude, therefore, that it is a case of making a pledge to a total stranger and so is a very careless and unwise thing to do. Refer to 5.10. Toy and other interpreters see the words rendered by Revised Standard Version as “neighbor” and “stranger” not as contrasts but as matching in meaning. It is for this reason that Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version reduce the two words to “someone.” New Revised Standard Version has revised Revised Standard Version “stranger” to “another” in its text and has placed “stranger” in a footnote. Revised English Bible has revised New English Bible in the same way. The warning is, accordingly, not to become surety for anyone.
In some translations this verse is marked as a warning by concluding with words like “[If. . .,] what you have done is not good.”
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .