Proverbs 6 · Verse 3

Proverbs 6:3

Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

Proverbs 6:3, King James Version

Proverbs 6:3 in other translations

BSB	then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
WEB	Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.
ASV	Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor: Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor;
YLT	Do this now, my son, and be delivered, For thou hast come into the hand of thy friend. Go, trample on thyself, and strengthen thy friend,
DARBY	Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, since thou hast come into the hand of thy friend: go, humble thyself, and be urgent with thy friend.
BBE	Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.
Webster	Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

What does Proverbs 6:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. come ... friend--in his power. humble ... sure thy friend--urge as a suppliant; that is, induce the friend to provide otherwise for his debt, or secure the surety.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 Do this - deliver thyself - Continue to press him for whom thou art become surety, to pay his creditor; give him no rest till he do it, else thou mayest fully expect to be left to pay the debt.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 6:1-5

If we live as directed by the word of God, we shall find it profitable even in this present world. We are stewards of our worldly substance, and have to answer to the Lord for our disposal of it; to waste it in rash schemes, or such plans as may entangle us in difficulties and temptations, is wrong. A man ought never to be surety for more than he is able and willing to pay, and can afford to pay, without wronging…

Read the full comment on Proverbs 6:1-5 →

Proverbs 6:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

עֲשֵׂ֨ה'a.SehdoH6213

זֹ֥אתzotthisH2063

אֵפ֪וֹא\׀'e.Fo'thenH645

בְּנִ֡יbe.NiO son myH1121

וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗לve.hi.na.Tzeland deliver yourselfH5337

כִּ֘יkiforH3588

בָ֤אתָVa.tayou have comeH935

בְכַף\־ve.khaf-in [the] palm ofH3709

רֵעֶ֑ךָre.'E.khaneighbor yourH7453

לֵ֥ךְlekhgoH1980

הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗סhit.ra.Peshumble yourselfH7511

וּרְהַ֥בu.re.Havand importuneH7292

רֵעֶֽיךָ\׃re.'Ei.khaneighbor yourH7453

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 6:3

James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
2 Samuel 24:14
And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
Psalms 31:8
And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
Exodus 10:3
And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
2 Chronicles 12:5
Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.
2 Chronicles 36:12
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

when.
2Sa 24:14; 2Ch 12:5; Ps 31:8
go.
Ex 10:3; 2Ch 36:12; Jas 4:10
and make sure thy friend. or, so shalt thou prevail withthey friend.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Proverbs 6:2
Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
Proverbs 6:3
Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
Proverbs 6:4
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

Read all of Proverbs 6

Proverbs 6:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Haz esto ahora, hijo mío, y líbrate, ya que has caído en la mano de tu prójimo: ve, humíllate, y asegúrate de tu amigo.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Mon fils, fais donc ceci, et délivre-toi, puisque tu es tombé en la main de ton prochain: va, humilie-toi, et insiste auprès de ton prochain.
German Elberfelder 1871	tue denn dieses, mein Sohn, und reiße dich los, da du in deines Nächsten Hand gekommen bist; gehe hin, wirf dich nieder, und bestürme deinen Nächsten;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Fac ergo quod dico, fili mi, et temetipsum libera, quia incidisti in manum proximi tui. Discurre, festina, suscita amicum tuum.