Ecclesiasticus, 29
1. He that is merciful will lend unto his neighbour; and he that strengtheneth his hand keepeth the commandments.
1. Lending to your neighbor is an act of mercy, going to his aid fulfills the commandments.
2. Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season.
2. Learn to lend to your neighbor when he is in need and, in turn, repay him any loan on time.
3. Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shalt always find the thing that is necessary for thee.
3. Keep your word, remain faithful and you will find what you need on every occasion.
4. Many, when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them.
4. Many think of a loan as a quick deal and put those who help them in a fix.
5. Till he hath received, he will kiss a man's hand; and for his neighbour's money he will speak submissly: but when he should repay, he will prolong the time, and return words of grief, and complain of the time.
5. The moment they receive it, they kiss the hand of the moneylender and humble themselves in deference to his wealth. But on the day repayment is due, they prolong the time, repay with reproaches and blame the current situation.
6. If he prevail, he shall hardly receive the half, and he will count as if he had found it: if not, he hath deprived him of his money, and he hath gotten him an enemy without cause: he payeth him with cursings and railings; and for honour he will pay him disgrace.
6. If they can repay, they pay barely half and the moneylender will be grateful for that much. They have robbed him of his money and, moreover, he has gained enemies, for they repay him with curses and insults and reproaches instead of gratitude.
7. Many therefore have refused to lend for other men's ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.
7. Many a good person refuses to lend, not for any malicious reason: he is afraid of being cheated without cause.
8. Yet have thou patience with a man in poor estate, and delay not to shew him mercy.
8. Nevertheless, be kind to those who have fallen on hard times, do not keep them waiting for your help.
9. Help the poor for the commandment's sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty.
9. For the commandments' sake, help the poor man; see his need and do not turn him away empty-handed.
10. Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost.
10. Better to spend your money on a brother or friend than to let it rust under a stone, to your discredit.
11. Lay up thy treasure according to the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.
11. Use your money according to the commandments of the Most High and you will find it more valuable than gold.
12. Shut up alms in thy storehouses: and it shall deliver thee from all affliction.
12. Fill your barns with good deeds and these will rescue you from misfortune.
13. It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.
13. They will fight for you against your enemy better than any strong shield and mighty spear.
14. An honest man is surety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent will forsake him.
14. A good man goes surety for his neighbor; the scoundrel leaves him to his fate.
15. Forget not the friendship of thy surety, for he hath given his life for thee.
15. Do not forget the favors of your guarantor: he has risked his life for you.
16. A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety:
16. The sinner wastes his guarantor's money; the ungrateful man forgets the one who saved him.
17. And he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him [in danger] that delivered him.
17. Acting as guarantor has ruined many a good man and has tossed him like the waves of the sea.
18. Suretiship hath undone many of good estate, and shaken them as a wave of the sea: mighty men hath it driven from their houses, so that they wandered among strange nations.
18. It has banished powerful men and forced them to wander among foreign nations.
19. A wicked man transgressing the commandments of the Lord shall fall into suretiship: and he that undertaketh and followeth other men's business for gain shall fall into suits.
19. The sinner is anxious to be a guarantor but he will be condemned as a loan shark.
20. Help thy neighbour according to thy power, and beware that thou thyself fall not into the same.
20. Help your neighbor as far as you can but beware of falling into the same plight.
21. The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and clothing, and an house to cover shame.
21. Some things you cannot live without: water, bread, clothes and a house for shelter.
22. Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man's house.
22. Better a poor man's life in his wooden shack than lavish banquets in another man's house.
23. Be it little or much, hold thee contented, that thou hear not the reproach of thy house.
23. Be content with whatever you have, be it great or small; this is better than to go elsewhere and be reproached as an outsider.
24. For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where thou art a stranger, thou darest not open thy mouth.
24. It is hard to go from house to house;
25. Thou shalt entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover thou shalt hear bitter words:
25. when you are an outsider, do not risk opening your mouth. You will eat and drink without much welcome and, on top of that, hear bitter remarks:
26. Come, thou stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that thou hast ready.
26. "Come, stranger, set the table and whatever you have, give it to me to eat."
27. Give place, thou stranger, to an honourable man; my brother cometh to be lodged, and I have need of mine house.
27. "Be off, stranger, make room for somebody more important; my brother is coming to see me, I need the house."
28. These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of houseroom, and reproaching of the lender.
28. It is hard for a good man to have hospitality denied him and to be treated like a debtor.
