Sirach 29

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Making your neighbour a loan is an act of mercy, to lend him a helping hand is to keep thecommandments.	1 He does a kindness who lends to his neighbor, and he fulfills the precepts who holds out a helping hand.
2 Lend to your neighbour in his time of need, and in your turn repay your neighbour on time.	2 Lend to your neighbor in his hour of need, and pay back your neighbor when a loan falls due;
3 Be as good as your word and keep faith with him, and you wil find your needs met every time.	3 Keep your promise, be honest with him, and you will always come by what you need.
4 Many treat a loan as a windfal , and embarrass those who have come to their rescue.	4 Many a man who asks for a loan adds to the burdens of those who help him;
5 Until he gets something, a man wil kiss his neighbour's hand, and refer diffidently to his wealth; butwhen the loan fal s due, he puts this off, he repays with offhand words, and pleads the inconvenience of the time.	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.
6 Even if he can be made to pay, his creditor wil recover barely half, and consider even that a windfal .But otherwise he wil be cheated of his money, and undeservedly gain himself an enemy; the man wil pay himback in curses and abuse, and with insults instead of honour.	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.
7 Many, not out of malice, refuse to lend; they are merely anxious not to be cheated for nothing.	7 Many refuse to lend, not out of meanness, but from fear of being cheated.
8 Nevertheless, be patient with those who are badly off, do not keep them waiting on your generosity.	8 To a poor man, however, be generous; keep him not waiting for your alms;
9 In obedience to the commandment, help the poor; do not turn the poor away empty-handed in theirneed.	9 Because of the precept, help the needy, and in their want, do not send them away empty-handed.
10 Spend your money on your brother or your friend, do not leave it under a stone to rust away.	10 Spend your money for your brother and friend, and hide it not under a stone to perish;
11 Use your wealth as the Most High has decreed; you will find that more profitable than gold.	11 Dispose of your treasure as the Most High commands, for that will profit you more than the gold.
12 Stock your store-rooms with almsgiving; this will save you from al misfortune.	12 Store up almsgiving in your treasure house, and it will save you from every evil;
13 Better than sturdy shield or weighty spear, this will fight for you against the enemy.	13 Better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear it will fight for you against the foe.
14 A good man wil go surety for his neighbour; only a shameless wretch would desert him.	14 A good man goes surety for his neighbor, and only the shameless would play him false;
15 Do not forget the favour your guarantor has done you; he has given his life for you.	15 Forget not the kindness of your backer, for he offers his very life for you.
16 A sinner is careless of his guarantor's prosperity, the ungrateful forgets his deliverer.	16 The wicked turn a pledge on their behalf into misfortune, and the ingrate abandons his protector;
17 Going surety has ruined many who were prosperous, tossing them about in a heavy sea.	17 Going surety has ruined many prosperous men and tossed them about like waves of the sea,
18 It has driven the powerful from home to wander among foreign nations.	18 Has exiled men of prominence and sent them wandering through foreign lands.
19 A wicked man in a hurry to stand guarantor in the hope of profit, is hurrying to be sentenced.	19 The sinner through surety comes to grief, and he who undertakes too much falls into lawsuits.
20 Come to your neighbour's help as far as you can, but take care not to fall into the same plight.	20 Go surety for your neighbor according to your means, but take care lest you fall thereby.
21 The first thing in life is water, and bread, and clothing, and a house for the sake of privacy.	21 Life's prime needs are water, bread, and clothing, a house, too, for decent privacy.
22 Better the life of the poor under a roof of planks, than lavish fare in somebody else's house.	22 Better a poor man's fare under the shadow of one's own roof than sumptuous banquets among strangers.
23 Whether you have little or much, be content with it, and you wil not hear your household complaining.	23 Be it little or much, be content with what you have, and pay no heed to him who would disparage your home;
24 It is a miserable life, going from house to house; wherever you stay, you dare not open your mouth,	24 A miserable life it is to go from house to house, for as a guest 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 intothe bargain:	25 The visitor has no thanks for filling the cups; besides, you will hear these bitter words:
26 'Come along, stranger, lay the table, what have you got ready? give me something to eat!'	26 "Come here, stranger, set the table, give me to eat the food you have!
27 'Go away, stranger, make room for someone important; my brother is coming to stay, I need thehouse.'	27 Away, stranger, for one more worthy; for my brother's visit I need the room!"
28 It is hard for the reasonable to be begrudged hospitality to be shamed like a debtor.	28 Painful things to a sensitive man are abuse at home and insults from his creditors.