Ecclesiasticus / Sirach - The Old Testament

¹ Making your neighbour a loan is an act of mercy, to lend him a helping hand is to keep the commandments.

² Lend to your neighbour in his time of need, and in your turn repay your neighbour on time.

³ Be as good as your word and keep faith with him, and you will find your needs met every time.

⁴ Many treat a loan as a windfall, and embarrass those who have come to their rescue.

⁵ Until he gets something, a man will kiss his neighbour's hand, and refer diffidently to his wealth; but when the loan falls due, he puts this off, he repays with offhand words, and pleads the inconvenience of the time.

⁶ Even if he can be made to pay, his creditor will recover barely half, and consider even that a windfall. But otherwise he will be cheated of his money, and undeservedly gain himself an enemy; the man will pay him back in curses and abuse, and with insults of honour.

⁷ Many, not out of malice, refuse to lend; they are merely anxious not to be cheated for nothing.

⁸ Nevertheless, be patient with those who are badly off, do not keep them waiting on your generosity.

⁹ In obedience to the commandment, help the poor; do not turn the poor away empty-handed in their need.

¹⁰ Spend your money on your brother or your friend, do not leave it under a stone to rust away.

¹¹ Use your wealth as the Most High has decreed; you will find that more profitable than gold.

¹² Stock your store-rooms with almsgiving; this will save you from all misfortune.

¹³ Better than sturdy shield or weighty spear, this will fight for you against the enemy.

¹⁴ A good man will go surety for his neighbour; only a shameless wretch would desert him.

¹⁵ Do not forget the favour your guarantor has done you; he has given his life for you.

¹⁶ A sinner is careless of his guarantor's prosperity, the ungrateful forgets his deliverer.

¹⁷ Going surety has ruined many who were prosperous, tossing them about in a heavy sea.

¹⁸ It has driven the powerful from home to wander among foreign nations.

¹⁹ A wicked man in a hurry to stand guarantor in the hope of profit, is hurrying to be sentenced.

²⁰ Come to your neighbour's help as far as you can, but take care not to fall into the same plight.

²¹ The first thing in life is water, and bread, and clothing, and a house for the sake of privacy.

²² Better the life of the poor under a roof of planks, than lavish fare in somebody else's house.

²³ Whether you have little or much, be content with it, and you will not hear your household complaining.

²⁴ It is a miserable life, going from house to house; wherever you stay, you dare not open your mouth,

²⁵ you do not belong, you receive no thanks for the drink you pour out and hear embittering words into the bargain:

²⁶ 'Come along, stranger, lay the table, what have you got ready? give me something to eat!'

²⁷ 'Go away, stranger, make room for someone important; my brother is coming to stay, I need the house.'

²⁸ It is hard for the reasonable to be begrudged hospitality to be shamed like a debtor.