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.

3Reap 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.

1[Qui facit misericordiam fœneratur proximo suo: et qui prævalet manu mandata servat.

2Fœnerare proximo tuo in tempore necessitatis illius: et iterum redde proximo in tempore suo.

3Confirma verbum, et fideliter age cum illo: et in omni tempore invenies quod tibi necessarium est.

4Multi quasi inventionem æstimaverunt fœnus, et præstiterunt molestiam his qui se adjuverunt.

5Donec accipiant, osculantur manus dantis, et in promissionibus humiliant vocem suam:

6et in tempore redditionis postulabit tempus, et loquetur verba tædii et murmurationum, et tempus causabitur.

7Si autem potuerit reddere, adversabitur: solidi vix reddet dimidium, et computabit illud quasi inventionem:

8sin autem, fraudabit illum pecunia sua, et possidebit illum inimicum gratis:

9et convitia et maledicta reddet illi, et pro honore et beneficio reddet illi contumeliam.

10Multi non causa nequitiæ non fœnerati sunt, sed fraudari gratis timuerunt.

11Verumtamen super humilem animo fortior esto, et pro eleemosyna non trahas illum.

12Propter mandatum assume pauperem, et propter inopiam ejus ne dimittas eum vacuum.

13Perde pecuniam propter fratrem et amicum tuum, et non abscondas illam sub lapide in perditionem.

14Pone thesaurum tuum in præceptis Altissimi, et proderit tibi magis quam aurum.

15Conclude eleemosynam in corde pauperis, et hæc pro te exorabit ab omni malo.

16Super scutum potentis

17et super lanceam

18adversus inimicum tuum pugnabit.]

19[Vir bonus fidem facit pro proximo suo: et qui perdiderit confusionem derelinquet sibi.

20Gratiam fidejussoris ne obliviscaris: dedit enim pro te animam suam.

21Repromissorem fugit peccator et immundus.

22Bona repromissoris sibi ascribit peccator: et ingratus sensu derelinquet liberantem se.

23Vir repromittit de proximo suo: et cum perdiderit reverentiam, derelinquetur ab eo.

24Repromissio nequissima multos perdidit dirigentes, et commovit illos quasi fluctus maris.

25Viros potentes gyrans migrare fecit, et vagati sunt in gentibus alienis.

26Peccator transgrediens mandatum Domini incidet in promissionem nequam: et qui conatur multa agere incidet in judicium.

27Recupera proximum secundum virtutem tuam, et attende tibi ne incidas.]

28[Initium vitæ hominis, aqua et panis, et vestimentum, et domus protegens turpitudinem.

29Melior est victus pauperis sub tegmine asserum quam epulæ splendidæ in peregre sine domicilio.

30Minimum pro magno placeat tibi, et improperium peregrinationis non audies.

31Vita nequam hospitandi de domo in domum: et ubi hospitabitur non fiducialiter aget, nec aperiet os.

32Hospitabitur, et pascet, et potabit ingratos, et ad hæc amara audiet:

33transi, hospes, et orna mensam, et quæ in manu habes ciba ceteros.

34Exi a facie honoris amicorum meorum: necessitudine domus meæ hospitio mihi factus est frater.

35Gravia hæc homini habenti sensum: correptio domus, et improperium fœneratoris.]

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.