Sirach 29

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 He that shows mercy will lend to his neighbor, and he that strengthens him with his hand keeps the commandments.	1 He that is merciful will lend unto his neighbour; and he that strengtheneth his hand keepeth the commandments.
2 Lend to your neighbor in the time of his need; and in turn, repay your neighbor promptly.	2 Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season.
3 Confirm your word and keep faith with him, and on every occasion you will find what you need.	3 Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shalt always find the thing that is necessary for thee.
4 Many persons regard a loan as a windfall, and cause trouble to those who help them.	4 Many, when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them.
5 A man will kiss another's hands until he gets a loan, and will lower his voice in speaking of his neighbor's money; but at the time for repayment he will delay, and will pay in words of unconcern, and will find fault with the time.	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.
6 If the lender exert pressure, he will hardly get back half, and will regard that as a windfall. If he does not, the borrower has robbed him of his money, and he has needlessly made him his enemy; he will repay him with curses and reproaches, and instead of glory will repay him with dishonor.	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.
7 Because of such wickedness, therefore, many have refused to lend; they have been afraid of being defrauded needlessly.	7 Many therefore have refused to lend for other men's ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.
8 Nevertheless, be patient with a man in humble circumstances, and do not make him wait for your alms.	8 Yet have thou patience with a man in poor estate, and delay not to shew him mercy.
9 Help a poor man for the commandment's sake, and because of his need do not send him away empty.	9 Help the poor for the commandment's sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty.
10 Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend, and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost.	10 Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost.
11 Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and it will profit you more than gold.	11 Lay up thy treasure according to the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.
12 Store up almsgiving in your treasury, and it will rescue you from all affliction;	12 Shut up alms in thy storehouses: and it shall deliver thee from all affliction.
13 more than a mighty shield and more than a heavy spear, it will fight on your behalf against your enemy.	13 It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.
14 A good man will be surety for his neighbor, but a man who has lost his sense of shame will fail him.	14 An honest man is surety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent will forsake him.
15 Do not forget all the kindness of your surety, for he has given his life for you.	15 Forget not the friendship of thy surety, for he hath given his life for thee.
16 A sinner will overthrow the prosperity of his surety,	16 A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety:
17 and one who does not feel grateful will abandon his rescuer.	17 And he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him [in danger] that delivered him.
18 Being surety has ruined many men who were prosperous, and has shaken them like a wave of the sea; it has driven men of power into exile, and they have wandered among foreign nations.	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.
19 The sinner who has fallen into suretyship and pursues gain will fall into lawsuits.	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.
20 Assist your neighbor according to your ability, but take heed to yourself lest you fall.	20 Help thy neighbour according to thy power, and beware that thou thyself fall not into the same.
21 The essentials for life are water and bread and clothing and a house to cover one's nakedness.	21 The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and clothing, and an house to cover shame.
22 Better is the life of a poor man under the shelter of his roof than sumptuous food in another man's house.	22 Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man's house.
23 Be content with little or much.	23 Be it little or much, hold thee contented, that thou hear not the reproach of thy house.
24 It is a miserable life to go from house to house, and where you are a stranger you may not open your mouth;	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.
25 you will play the host and provide drink without being thanked, and besides this you will hear bitter words:	25 Thou shalt entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover thou shalt hear bitter words:
26 "Come here, stranger, prepare the table, and if you have anything at hand, let me have it to eat."	26 Come, thou stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that thou hast ready.
27 "Give place, stranger, to an honored person; my brother has come to stay with me; I need my house."	27 Give place, thou stranger, to an honourable man; my brother cometh to be lodged, and I have need of mine house.
28 These things are hard to bear for a man who has feeling: scolding about lodging and the reproach of the moneylender.	28 These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of houseroom, and reproaching of the lender.