ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΕΙΡΑΧ - Siracide - Sirach 29

GREEK BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 ο ποιων ελεος δανιει τω πλησιον και ο επισχυων τη χειρι αυτου τηρει εντολας	1 Making your neighbour a loan is an act of mercy, to lend him a helping hand is to keep thecommandments.
2 δανεισον τω πλησιον εν καιρω χρειας αυτου και παλιν αποδος τω πλησιον εις τον καιρον	2 Lend to your neighbour in his time of need, and in your turn repay your neighbour on time.
3 στερεωσον λογον και πιστωθητι μετ' αυτου και εν παντι καιρω ευρησεις την χρειαν σου	3 Be as good as your word and keep faith with him, and you wil find your needs met every time.
4 πολλοι ως ευρεμα ενομισαν δανος και παρεσχον κοπον τοις βοηθησασιν αυτοις	4 Many treat a loan as a windfal , and embarrass those who have come to their rescue.
5 εως ου λαβη καταφιλησει χειρας αυτου και επι των χρηματων του πλησιον ταπεινωσει φωνην και εν καιρω αποδοσεως παρελκυσει χρονον και αποδωσει λογους ακηδιας και τον καιρον αιτιασεται	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.
6 εαν ισχυση μολις κομισεται το ημισυ και λογιειται αυτο ως ευρεμα ει δε μη απεστερησεν αυτον των χρηματων αυτου και εκτησατο αυτον εχθρον δωρεαν καταρας και λοιδοριας αποδωσει αυτω και αντι δοξης αποδωσει αυτω ατιμιαν	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.
7 πολλοι ου χαριν πονηριας απεστρεψαν αποστερηθηναι δωρεαν ευλαβηθησαν	7 Many, not out of malice, refuse to lend; they are merely anxious not to be cheated for nothing.
8 πλην επι ταπεινω μακροθυμησον και επ' ελεημοσυνη μη παρελκυσης αυτον	8 Nevertheless, be patient with those who are badly off, do not keep them waiting on your generosity.
9 χαριν εντολης αντιλαβου πενητος και κατα την ενδειαν αυτου μη αποστρεψης αυτον κενον	9 In obedience to the commandment, help the poor; do not turn the poor away empty-handed in theirneed.
10 απολεσον αργυριον δι' αδελφον και φιλον και μη ιωθητω υπο τον λιθον εις απωλειαν	10 Spend your money on your brother or your friend, do not leave it under a stone to rust away.
11 θες τον θησαυρον σου κατ' εντολας υψιστου και λυσιτελησει σοι μαλλον η το χρυσιον	11 Use your wealth as the Most High has decreed; you will find that more profitable than gold.
12 συγκλεισον ελεημοσυνην εν τοις ταμιειοις σου και αυτη εξελειται σε εκ πασης κακωσεως	12 Stock your store-rooms with almsgiving; this will save you from al misfortune.
13 υπερ ασπιδα κρατους και υπερ δορυ ολκης κατεναντι εχθρου πολεμησει υπερ σου	13 Better than sturdy shield or weighty spear, this will fight for you against the enemy.
14 ανηρ αγαθος εγγυησεται τον πλησιον και ο απολωλεκως αισχυνην εγκαταλειψει αυτον	14 A good man wil go surety for his neighbour; only a shameless wretch would desert him.
15 χαριτας εγγυου μη επιλαθη εδωκεν γαρ την ψυχην αυτου υπερ σου	15 Do not forget the favour your guarantor has done you; he has given his life for you.
16 αγαθα εγγυου ανατρεψει αμαρτωλος και αχαριστος εν διανοια εγκαταλειψει ρυσαμενον	16 A sinner is careless of his guarantor's prosperity, the ungrateful forgets his deliverer.
17 εγγυη πολλους απωλεσεν κατευθυνοντας και εσαλευσεν αυτους ως κυμα θαλασσης	17 Going surety has ruined many who were prosperous, tossing them about in a heavy sea.
18 ανδρας δυνατους απωκισεν και επλανηθησαν εν εθνεσιν αλλοτριοις	18 It has driven the powerful from home to wander among foreign nations.
19 αμαρτωλος εμπεσων εις εγγυην και διωκων εργολαβιας εμπεσειται εις κρισεις	19 A wicked man in a hurry to stand guarantor in the hope of profit, is hurrying to be sentenced.
20 αντιλαβου του πλησιον κατα δυναμιν σου και προσεχε σεαυτω μη εμπεσης	20 Come to your neighbour's help as far as you can, but take care not to fall into the same plight.
21 αρχη ζωης υδωρ και αρτος και ιματιον και οικος καλυπτων ασχημοσυνην	21 The first thing in life is water, and bread, and clothing, and a house for the sake of privacy.
22 κρεισσων βιος πτωχου υπο σκεπην δοκων η εδεσματα λαμπρα εν αλλοτριοις	22 Better the life of the poor under a roof of planks, than lavish fare in somebody else's house.
23 επι μικρω και μεγαλω ευδοκιαν εχε και ονειδισμον παροικιας ου μη ακουσης	23 Whether you have little or much, be content with it, and you wil not hear your household complaining.
24 ζωη πονηρα εξ οικιας εις οικιαν και ου παροικησεις ουκ ανοιξεις στομα	24 It is a miserable life, going from house to house; wherever you stay, you dare not open your mouth,
25 ξενιεις και ποτιεις εις αχαριστα και προς επι τουτοις πικρα ακουση	25 you do not belong, you receive no thanks for the drink you pour out and hear embittering words intothe bargain:
26 παρελθε παροικε κοσμησον τραπεζαν και ει τι εν τη χειρι σου ψωμισον με	26 'Come along, stranger, lay the table, what have you got ready? give me something to eat!'
27 εξελθε παροικε απο προσωπου δοξης επεξενωται μοι ο αδελφος χρεια της οικιας	27 'Go away, stranger, make room for someone important; my brother is coming to stay, I need thehouse.'
28 βαρεα ταυτα ανθρωπω εχοντι φρονησιν επιτιμησις οικιας και ονειδισμος δανειστου	28 It is hard for the reasonable to be begrudged hospitality to be shamed like a debtor.