Ecclesiasticus, 29

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

1. ὁ ποιῶν ἔλεος δανιεῖ τῷ πλησίον καὶ ὁ ἐπισχύων τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τηρεῖ ἐντολάς

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

2. δάνεισον τῷ πλησίον ἐν καιρῷ χρείας αὐτοῦ καὶ πάλιν ἀπόδος τῷ πλησίον εἰς τὸν καιρόν

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

3. στερέωσον λόγον καὶ πιστώθητι μετ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ εὑρήσεις τὴν χρείαν σου

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

4. πολλοὶ ὡς εὕρεμα ἐνόμισαν δάνος καὶ παρέσχον κόπον τοῖς βοηθήσασιν αὐτοῖς

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

5. ἕως οὗ λάβῃ καταφιλήσει χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χρημάτων τοῦ πλησίον ταπεινώσει φωνήν καὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἀποδόσεως παρελκύσει χρόνον καὶ ἀποδώσει λόγους ἀκηδίας καὶ τὸν καιρὸν αἰτιάσεται

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

6. ἐὰν ἰσχύσῃ μόλις κομίσεται τὸ ἥμισυ καὶ λογιεῖται αὐτὸ ὡς εὕρεμα εἰ δὲ μή ἀπεστέρησεν αὐτὸν τῶν χρημάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκτήσατο αὐτὸν ἐχθρὸν δωρεάν κατάρας καὶ λοιδορίας ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ καὶ ἀντὶ δόξης ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ ἀτιμίαν

7. And 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:

7. πολλοὶ οὐ χάριν πονηρίας ἀπέστρεψαν ἀποστερηθῆναι δωρεὰν εὐλαβήθησαν

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

8. πλὴν ἐπὶ ταπεινῷ μακροθύμησον καὶ ἐπ’ ἐλεημοσύνῃ μὴ παρελκύσῃς αὐτόν

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

9. χάριν ἐντολῆς ἀντιλαβοῦ πένητος καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς αὐτὸν κενόν

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

10. ἀπόλεσον ἀργύριον δι’ ἀδελφὸν καὶ φίλον καὶ μὴ ἰωθήτω ὑπὸ τὸν λίθον εἰς ἀπώλειαν

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

11. θὲς τὸν θησαυρόν σου κατ’ ἐντολὰς ὑψίστου καὶ λυσιτελήσει σοι μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ χρυσίον

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

12. σύγκλεισον ἐλεημοσύνην ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις σου καὶ αὕτη ἐξελεῖταί σε ἐκ πάσης κακώσεως

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

13. ὑπὲρ ἀσπίδα κράτους καὶ ὑπὲρ δόρυ ὁλκῆς κατέναντι ἐχθροῦ πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ

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

14. ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ἐγγυήσεται τὸν πλησίον καὶ ὁ ἀπολωλεκὼς αἰσχύνην ἐγκαταλείψει αὐτόν

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

15. χάριτας ἐγγύου μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ ἔδωκεν γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ σοῦ

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

16. ἀγαθὰ ἐγγύου ἀνατρέψει ἁμαρτωλός καὶ ἀχάριστος ἐν διανοίᾳ ἐγκαταλείψει ῥυσάμενον

17. It shall fight for thee against thy enemy.

17. ἐγγύη πολλοὺς ἀπώλεσεν κατευθύνοντας καὶ ἐσάλευσεν αὐτοὺς ὡς κῦμα θαλάσσης

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

18. ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς ἀπῴκισεν καὶ ἐπλανήθησαν ἐν ἔθνεσιν ἀλλοτρίοις

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

19. ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐμπεσὼν εἰς ἐγγύην καὶ διώκων ἐργολαβίας ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κρίσεις

20. The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety.

20. ἀντιλαβοῦ τοῦ πλησίον κατὰ δύναμίν σου καὶ πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐμπέσῃς

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

21. ἀρχὴ ζωῆς ὕδωρ καὶ ἄρτος καὶ ἱμάτιον καὶ οἶκος καλύπτων ἀσχημοσύνην

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

22. κρείσσων βίος πτωχοῦ ὑπὸ σκέπην δοκῶν ἢ ἐδέσματα λαμπρὰ ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις

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

23. ἐπὶ μικρῷ καὶ μεγάλῳ εὐδοκίαν ἔχε καὶ ὀνειδισμὸν παροικίας οὐ μὴ ἀκούσῃς

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

24. ζωὴ πονηρὰ ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν καὶ οὗ παροικήσεις οὐκ ἀνοίξεις στόμα

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

25. ξενιεῖς καὶ ποτιεῖς εἰς ἀχάριστα καὶ πρὸς ἐπὶ τούτοις πικρὰ ἀκούσῃ

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

26. πάρελθε πάροικε κόσμησον τράπεζαν καὶ εἴ τι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου ψώμισόν με

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

27. ἔξελθε πάροικε ἀπὸ προσώπου δόξης ἐπεξένωταί μοι ὁ ἀδελφός χρεία τῆς οἰκίας

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

28. βαρέα ταῦτα ἀνθρώπῳ ἔχοντι φρόνησιν ἐπιτίμησις οἰκίας καὶ ὀνειδισμὸς δανειστοῦ

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

29.

30. It 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.

30.

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

31.

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

32.

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

33.

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

34.