Sirach 29 He that will shewe mercie, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that hath power ouer himselfe, keepeth the commandements.

Geneva⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ He that will shewe mercie, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that hath power ouer himselfe, keepeth the commandements. ² Lend to thy neighbour in time of his neede, and pay thou thy neighbour againe in due season. ³ Keepe thy worde, and deale faithfully with him, and thou shalt always finde the thing that is necessarie for thee. ⁴ Many when a thing was lent them, reckened it to be found, and grieued them that had helped them. ⁵ Till they receiue, they kisse his handes, and for their neighbours good they huble their voyce: but when they should pay againe, they prolong the terme, and giue a careles answere, and make excuses by reason of the time. ⁶ And though he be able, yet giueth hee scarce the halfe againe, & reckeneth the other as a thing found: els he deceiueth him of his money, and maketh him an enemie without a cause: he paieth him with cursing and rebuke, and giueth him euil words for his good deede. ⁷ There be many which refuse to lend because of this inconuenience, fearing to bee defrauded without cause. ⁸ Yet haue thou patience with him that humbleth him selfe, and deferre not mercy from him. ⁹ Helpe the poore for the comandements sake, and turne him not away, because of his pouertie. ¹⁰ Lose thy money for thy brothers & neighbours sake, and let it not rust vnder a stone to thy destruction. ¹¹ Bestowe thy treasure after the commandement of the most High, & it shall bring thee more profite then golde. ¹² Lay vp thine almes in thy secret chambers, and it shall keepe thee from all affliction. ¹³ A mans almes is as a purse with him, & shal keepe a mans fauour as the apple of the eye, and afterward shall it arise, and pay euery man his reward vpon his head. ¹⁴ It shall fight for thee against thine enemies, better then the shield of a strong man, or speare of the mightie. ¹⁵ An honest man is surety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent, forsaketh him. ¹⁶ Forget not the friendship of thy suretie: for he hath layed his life for thee. ¹⁷ The wicked despiseth the good deede of his suretie. ¹⁸ The wicked will not become suretie: and he that is of an vnthankfull minde, forsaketh him that deliuered him. ¹⁹ Some man promiseth for his neighbour: and when hee hath lost his honestie, hee will forsake him. ²⁰ Suretieship hath destroyed many a rich man, and remooued them as the waues of the sea: mightie men hath it driuen away from their houses, and caused them to wander among strange nations. ²¹ A wicked man, transgressing the commandements of the Lord, shall fall into suretieship: and hee that medleth much with other mens busines, is intangled in controuersies. ²² Helpe thy neighbour according to thy power, and beware that thou thy selfe fall not. ²³ The chiefe thing of life is water, & bread, and clothing, and lodging to couer thy shame. ²⁴ The poore mans life in his owne lodge is better then delicate fare in another mans. ²⁵ Be it litle or much, holde thee contented, that the house speake not euill of thee. ²⁶ For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where thou art a stranger, thou darest not open thy mouth. ²⁷ Thou shalt lodge and feede vnthankefull men, & after shalt haue bitter wordes for the same, saying, ²⁸ Come, thou stranger, and prepare the table, and feede me of that thou hast readie. ²⁹ Giue place, thou stranger, to an honourable man: my brother commeth to bee lodged, and I haue neede of mine house. ³⁰ These things are heauie to a man that hath vnderstanding, the vpbraiding of the house, and the reproche of the lender.