Sirach 29
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1HE that wil shewe mercie, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that hathe power ouer him self, kepeth the commandements. 2Lend to thy neighbour in time of his nede, and pay thou thy neighbour againe in due season. 3Kepe thy worde and deale faithfully with him, and thou shalt alwaye finde the thing that is necessarie for thee. 4Manie when a thing was lent them, rekened it to be founde, & grieued them that had helped them. 5Til they receiue, they kisse his hands, and for their neighbours good they humble their voyce: but when they shulde paie againe, they prolong the terme, and giue a careles answer, and make excuses by reason of the time. 6And thogh he be able, yet giueth he scarse the halfe againe, and rekeneth the other as a thing founde: els he deceiueth him of his money, & maketh him an enemie without a cause: he paieth him with cursing & rebuke, & giueth him euil wordes for his good dede. 7There be manie which refuse to lend because of this inconuenience, fearing to be defrauded without cause. 8Yet haue thou pacience with him that humbleth him self, & differre not mercie from him. 9Helpe the poore for the commandements sake, and turne him not away, because of his pouertie. 10Lese thy money for thy brothers and neighbours sake, and let it not rust vnder a stone to thy destruction. 11Bestowe the treasure after the commandement of the moste High, & it shal bring thee more profite then golde. 12Lay vp thine almes in thy secret chambers, & it shal kepe thee from all affliction. 13[A mans almes is as a purse with him, and shal kepe a mans fauour as the apple of the eye, and afterwarde shal it arise, and paye euerie man his rewarde vpon his head.] 14It shal fight for thee against thine enemies, better then the shield of a strong man, or speare of the mightie. 15An honest man is suretie for his neighbour: but he that is impudent, forsaketh him. 16Forget not the friendship of thy suretie: for he hathe laied his life for thee. 17The wicked despiseth the good dede of his suretie. 18The wicked wil not become suretie: and he that is of an vnthankeful minde, forsaketh him that deliuered him. 19[Some man promiseth for his neighbour: and when he hathe lost his honestie, he wil forsake him.] 20Suretieshippe hathe destroyed manie a riche man, & remoued them as the waues of the sea: mightie men hathe it driuen away from their houses, and caused them to wander among strange nacions. 21A wicked man, transgressing the commandements of the Lord, shal fall into suretieshippe: and he that medleth muche with other mens busines, is intangled in controuersies. 22Helpe thy neighbour according to thy power, and beware that thou thy self fall not. 23The chief thing of life is water, and bread, and clothing, and lodging to couer thy shame. 24The poore mans life in his owne lodge is better then delicate fare in another mans. 25Be it litle or muche, holde thee contented, that the house speake not euil of thee. 26For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where thou art a stranger, thou darest not open thy mouth. 27Thou shalt lodge and fede vnthankeful men, & after shalt haue bitter wordes for the same, saying, 28Come, thou stranger, and prepare the table, and fede me of that thou hast readie. 29Giue place, thou stranger, to an honorable man: my brother cometh to be lodged, and I haue nede of mine house. 30These things are heauie to a man that hathe vnderstanding, the vpbraiding of the house, and the reproche of the lender.
Chapters in Sirach