Sirach 29

¹He who shows mercy will lend to his neighbor.

He who strengthens him with his hand keeps the commandments.

²Lend to your neighbor in time of his need.

Repay your neighbor on time.

³Confirm your word, and keep faith with him;

and at all seasons you will find what you need.

⁴Many have considered a loan to be a windfall,

and have given trouble to those who helped them.

⁵Until he has received, he will kiss a man’s hands.

For his neighbor’s money he will speak submissively.

Then when payment is due, he will prolong the time,

return excuses, and complain about the season.

⁶If he prevails, the creditor will hardly receive half;

and he will count it as a windfall.

If not, he has deprived him of his money,

and he has gotten him for an enemy without cause.

He will pay him with cursing and railing.

Instead of honor, he will pay him disgrace.

⁷Many on account of fraud have turned away.

They are afraid of being defrauded for nothing.

⁸However be patient with a man in poor estate.

Don’t keep him waiting for your alms.

⁹Help a poor man for the commandment’s sake.

According to his need don’t send him empty away.

¹⁰Lose your money for a brother and a friend.

Don’t let it rust under a stone and be lost.

¹¹Allocate your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High

and it will profit you more than gold.

¹²Store up almsgiving in your store-chambers

and it will deliver you out of all affliction.1

¹³It will fight for you against your enemy

better than a mighty shield and a ponderous spear.

¹⁴A good man will be surety for his neighbor.

He who has lost shame will fail him.

¹⁵Don’t forget the kindness of your guarantor,

for he has given his life for you.1

¹⁶A sinner will waste the property of his guarantor.

¹⁷He who is thankless will fail him who delivered him.

¹⁸Being surety has undone many who were prospering

and shaken them as a wave of the sea.

It has driven mighty men from their homes.

They wandered among foreign nations.

¹⁹A sinner who falls into suretiship and undertakes contracts for work

will fall into lawsuits.

²⁰Help your neighbor according to your power,

and be careful not to fall yourself.

²¹The essentials of life are water, bread,

a garment, and a house for privacy.

²²Better is the life of a poor man under a shelter of logs

than sumptuous fare in another man’s house.

²³With little or with much, be well satisfied.

²⁴It is a miserable life to go from house to house.

Where you are a guest, you dare not open your mouth.

²⁵You will entertain, serve drinks, and have no thanks.

In addition to this, you will hear bitter words.

²⁶“Come here, you sojourner, set a table,

and if you have anything in your hand, feed me with it.”

²⁷“Leave, you sojourner, for an honored guest is here.

My brother has come to be my guest. I need my house.”1

²⁸These things are grievous to a man of understanding:

The scolding about lodging and the insults of creditors.