Sirach 29

¹He shows mercy who lends to his neighbor, for he keeps the commandments by strengthening him.

²Lend to your neighbor in his time of need, and receive it again from your neighbor in his time.

³Keep your word, and act faithfully with him, and then you will find whatever you need in every time.

⁴Many have treated a loan like found money, and they offered trouble to those who helped them.

⁵Until they receive, they kiss the hands of the giver, and they humble their voice in promises.

⁶But at the time of repayment, they will ask for more time, and they will speak annoying and complaining words, and they will make excuses for the time.

⁷Then, if he is able to repay, he will turn away. He will pay barely one half, and he will consider it as if he had found it.

⁸But if not, then he will defraud him of his money, and he will have him as an enemy without cause.

⁹And he will repay him with accusations and curses, and he will repay him with contempt, instead of with honor and kindness.

¹⁰Many have refused to lend, not because of wickedness, but because they were afraid to be defrauded without cause.

¹¹Yet truly, be more steadfast toward the humble, and you should not delay in acts of mercy toward them.

¹²Assist the poor because of the commandment. And you should not send him away empty because of his dire need.

¹³Lose your money to your brother and your friend. For you should not hide it under a stone to be lost.

¹⁴Let your treasure be in the precepts of the Most High, and it will benefit you more than gold.

¹⁵Store your alms in the hearts of the poor, and it will obtain help for you against all evil.

¹⁶Better than the shield or the lance of a powerful man,

¹⁷it will fight for you against your enemy.

¹⁸A good man offers credit for the sake of his neighbor. But one who abandons him to himself will perish in shame.

¹⁹You should not forget the kindness of your benefactor. For he has offered his life on your behalf.

²⁰The sinner and the unclean flee from such promises.

²¹A sinner attributes to himself the goods of his loan. And an ungrateful mind will abandon the one who has freed him.

²²A man offers credit to his neighbor. But when he will have lost respect, he will abandon him.

²³A wicked promise has destroyed many who had good intentions, and has tossed them like a wave on the ocean.

²⁴It has caused powerful men to travel around, and they have wandered amid foreign nations.

²⁵A sinner transgressing the commandment of the Lord will fall into a wicked promise. And he who undertakes many things will fall into judgment.

²⁶Help your neighbor to recover according to your ability, but attend to yourself, lest you also fall.

²⁷The primary need in a man’s life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to protect modesty.

²⁸A pauper’s food under a roof of boards is better than a splendid feast on a sojourn away from home.

²⁹Let yourself be pleased with little instead of much, and you will not hear the reproach of being away from home.

³⁰It is a wicked life to go from house to house as a guest. For wherever he is a guest, he will not act confidently, nor open his mouth.

³¹He will entertain, and feed, and give drink to the ungrateful, and beyond this, he will listen to bitter words:

³²“Go, my guest, and set the table, and let others eat from what you have in your hand.”

³³“Depart from the honored face of my friends. For it has become necessary for my house to host my brother instead.”

³⁴These things are grievous to a man having understanding: to take advantage of a household, and to reproach a lender.

³⁵

Sirach 29

¹He that sheweth mercy, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that is stronger in hand, keepeth the commandments.

²Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due time.

³Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him: and thou shalt always find that which is necessary for thee.

⁴Many have looked upon a thing lent as a thing found, and have given trouble to them that helped them.

⁵Till they receive, they kiss the hands of the lender, and in promises they humble their voice:

⁶But when they should repay, they will ask time, and will return tedious and murmuring words, and will complain of the time:

⁷And if he be able to pay, he will stand off, he will scarce pay one half, and will count it as if he had found it:

⁸But if not, he will defraud him of his money, and he shall get him for an enemy without cause.

⁹And he will pay him with reproaches and curses, and instead of honour and good turn will repay him injuries.

¹⁰Many have refused to lend, not out of wickedness, but they were afraid to be defrauded without cause.

¹¹But yet towards the poor be thou more hearty, and delay not to shew him mercy.

¹²Help the poor because of the commandment: and send him not away empty handed because of his poverty.

¹³Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend: and hide it not under a stone to be lost.

¹⁴Place thy treasure in the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.

¹⁵Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help for thee against all evil.

¹⁶Better than the shield of the mighty, and better than the spear:

¹⁷It shall fight for thee against thy enemy.

¹⁸A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, will leave him to himself.

¹⁹Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given his life for thee.

²⁰The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety.

²¹A sinner attributeth to himself the goods of his surety: and he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him that delivered him.

²²A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost all shame, he shall forsake him.

²³Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea.

²⁴It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about, and they have wandered in strange countries.

²⁵A sinner that transgresseth the commandment of the Lord, shall fall into an evil suretyship: and he that undertaketh many things, shall fall into judgment.

²⁶Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not.

²⁷The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame.

²⁸Better is the poor man's fare under a roof of boards, than sumptuous cheer abroad in another man's house.

²⁹Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt not hear the reproach of going abroad.

³⁰It is a miserable life to go as a guest from house to house: for where a man is a stranger, he shall not deal confidently, nor open his mouth.

³¹He shall entertain and feed, and give drink to the unthankful, and moreover he shall hear bitter words.

³²Go, stranger, and furnish the table, and give others to eat what thou hast in thy hand.

³³Give place to the honourable presence of my friends: for I want my house, my brother being to be lodged with me.

³⁴These things are grievous to a man of understanding: the upbraiding of houseroom, and the reproaching of the lender.