(箴言 17:18)
“在鄰舍面前擊掌作保，乃是無知的人。”
在古代近東地區，人們簽訂契約的方式並非簽名，而是透過擊掌來達成協議。作保的意思是，當你的朋友向他人借錢時，你充當他的擔保人，並在公開場合擊掌承諾。這意味著一旦對方無法還債，你必須承擔全部的法律責任。
聖經形容這種行為是無知的，這裡的無知是指缺乏判斷力。這並不是說我們不應該幫助朋友，而是提醒我們要避免陷入情緒勒索。有時朋友會利用交情來請求我們幫忙，雖然我們心裡知道作保存在極大的財務風險，卻可能因為礙於情面而難以拒絕。一旦答應，就等同於讓自己陷入法律與財務的困境中，甚至可能導致無窮無盡的麻煩。
聖經清楚地教導我們，要有智慧地分辨情況，不要讓自己被財務包袱綑綁。
(Proverbs 17:18)
“A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.”
In the ancient Near East, the way people signed contracts was not through signatures, but by striking hands to reach an agreement. Becoming a surety means that when your friend borrows money from others, you act as their guarantor and make a commitment by striking hands in public. This means that once the other party is unable to repay the debt, you must assume full legal responsibility.
The Bible describes this behavior as void of understanding, which refers to a lack of judgment. This does not mean that we should not help our friends, but rather serves as a reminder to avoid falling into emotional blackmail. Sometimes friends will use their relationship to ask for help; even though we know in our hearts that acting as a guarantor carries immense financial risk, it can be difficult to refuse due to social pressure or the need to save face. Once you agree, it is equivalent to putting yourself in a legal and financial predicament, which may even lead to endless trouble.
The Bible clearly teaches us to discern situations with wisdom and not to let ourselves be bound by financial burdens.
