Sirach 29

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 He does a kindness who lends to his neighbor, and he fulfills the precepts who holds out a helping hand.	1 He that sheweth mercy, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that is stronger in hand, keepeth the commandments.
2 Lend to your neighbor in his hour of need, and pay back your neighbor when a loan falls due;	2 Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due time.
3 Keep your promise, be honest with him, and you will always come by what you need.	3 Reap thy word, and deal faithfully with him: and thou shalt always find that which is necessary for thee.
4 Many a man who asks for a loan adds to the burdens of those who help him;	4 Many have looked upon a thing lent as a thing found, and have given trouble to them that helped them.
5 When he borrows, he kisses the lender's hand and speaks with respect of his creditor's wealth; But when payment is due he disappoints him and says he is helpless to meet the claim.	5 Till they receive, they kiss the hands of the lender, and in promises they humble their voice:
6 If the lender is able to recover barely half, he considers this an achievement; If not, he is cheated of his wealth and acquires an enemy at no extra charge; With curses and insults the borrower pays him back, with abuse instead of honor.	6 But when they should repay, they will ask time, and will return tedious and murmuring words, and will complain of the time:
7 Many refuse to lend, not out of meanness, but from fear of being cheated.	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:
8 To a poor man, however, be generous; keep him not waiting for your alms;	8 But if not, he will defraud him of his money, and he shall get him for an enemy without cause:
9 Because of the precept, help the needy, and in their want, do not send them away empty-handed.	9 And he will pay him with reproaches and curses, and instead of honour and good turn will repay him injuries.
10 Spend your money for your brother and friend, and hide it not under a stone to perish;	10 Many have refused to lend, not out of wickedness, but they were afraid to be defrauded without cause.
11 Dispose of your treasure as the Most High commands, for that will profit you more than the gold.	11 But yet towards the poor be thou more hearty, and delay not to shew him mercy.
12 Store up almsgiving in your treasure house, and it will save you from every evil;	12 Help the poor because of the commandment: and send him not away empty handed because of his poverty.
13 Better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear it will fight for you against the foe.	13 Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend: and hide it not under a stone to be lost.
14 A good man goes surety for his neighbor, and only the shameless would play him false;	14 Place thy treasure in the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.
15 Forget not the kindness of your backer, for he offers his very life for you.	15 Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help for thee against all evil.
16 The wicked turn a pledge on their behalf into misfortune, and the ingrate abandons his protector;	16 Better than the shield of the mighty, and better than the spear:
17 Going surety has ruined many prosperous men and tossed them about like waves of the sea,	17 It shall fight for thee against thy enemy.
18 Has exiled men of prominence and sent them wandering through foreign lands.	18 A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, will leave him to himself.
19 The sinner through surety comes to grief, and he who undertakes too much falls into lawsuits.	19 Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given his life for thee.
20 Go surety for your neighbor according to your means, but take care lest you fall thereby.	20 The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety.
21 Life's prime needs are water, bread, and clothing, a house, too, for decent privacy.	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.
22 Better a poor man's fare under the shadow of one's own roof than sumptuous banquets among strangers.	22 A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost all shame, he shall forsake him.
23 Be it little or much, be content with what you have, and pay no heed to him who would disparage your home;	23 Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea.
24 A miserable life it is to go from house to house, for as a guest you dare not open your mouth.	24 It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about, and they have wandered in strange countries.
25 The visitor has no thanks for filling the cups; besides, you will hear these bitter words:	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.
26 "Come here, stranger, set the table, give me to eat the food you have!	26 Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not.
27 Away, stranger, for one more worthy; for my brother's visit I need the room!"	27 The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame.
28 Painful things to a sensitive man are abuse at home and insults from his creditors.	28 Better is the poor man's fare under a roof of boards, than sumptuous cheer abroad in another man's house.
	29 Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt not hear the reproach of going abroad.
	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.
	31 He shall entertain and feed, and give drink to the unthankful, and moreover he shall hear bitter words.
	32 Go, stranger, and furnish the table, and give others to eat what thou hast in thy hand.
	33 Give place to the honourable presence of my friends: for I want my house, my brother being to be lodged with me.
	34 These things are grievous to a man of understanding: the upbraiding of houseroom, and the reproaching of the lender.