Wisdom of Sirach 29

1 Ο ΠΟΙΩΝ ἔλεος δανειεῖ τῷ πλησίον, καὶ ὁ ἐπισχύων τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τηρεῖ ἐντολάς.

1 He that is merciful will lend to his neighbour; and he that strengthens his hand keeps the commandments.

2 δάνεισον τῷ πλησίον ἐν καιρῷ χρείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάλιν ἀπόδος τῷ πλησίον εἰς τὸν καιρόν·

2 Lend to your neighbour in time of his need, and pay you your neighbour again in due season.

3 στερέωσον λόγον καὶ πιστώθητι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ εὑρήσεις τὴν χρείαν σου.

3 Keep your word, and deal faithfully with him, and you shall always find the thing that is necessary for you.

4 πολλοὶ ὡς εὕρεμα ἐνόμισαν δάνος καὶ παρέσχον πόνον τοῖς βοηθήσασιν αὐτοῖς.

4 Many, when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them.

5 ἕως οὗ λάβῃ, καταφιλήσει χεῖρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χρημάτων τοῦ πλησίον ταπεινώσει φωνήν· καὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἀποδόσεως παρελκύσει χρόνον καὶ ἀποδώσει λόγους ἀκηδίας καὶ τὸν καιρὸν αἰτιάσεται.

5 Till he has 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 ἐὰν ἰσχύσῃ, μόλις κομίσεται τὸ ἥμισυ καὶ λογιεῖται αὐτὸ ὡς εὕρεμα· εἰ δὲ μή, ἀπεστέρησεν αὐτὸν τῶν χρημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκτήσατο αὐτὸν ἐχθρὸν δωρεάν· κατάρας καὶ λοιδορίας ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ καὶ ἀντὶ δόξης ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ ἀτιμίαν.

6 If he prevail, he shall hardly receive the half, and he will count as if he had found it: if not, he has deprived him of his money, and he has gotten him an enemy without cause: he pays him with cursings and railings; and for honour he will pay him disgrace.

7 πολλοὶ οὖν χάριν πονηρίας ἀπέστρεψαν, ἀποστερηθῆναι δωρεὰν εὐλαβήθησαν.

7 Many therefore have refused to lend for other men's ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.

8 πλὴν ἐπὶ ταπεινῷ μακροθύμησον καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ παρελκύσῃς αὐτόν.

8 Yet have you patience with a man in poor estate, and delay not to show him mercy.

9 χάριν ἐντολῆς ἀντιλαβοῦ πένητος καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς αὐτὸν κενόν.

9 Help the poor for the commandment's sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty.

10 ἀπόλεσον ἀργύριον δι᾿ ἀδελφὸν καὶ φίλον, καὶ μὴ ἰωθήτω ὑπὸ τὸν λίθον εἰς ἀπώλειαν.

10 Lose your money for your brother and your friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost.

11 θὲς τὸν θησαυρόν σου κατ᾿ ἐντολὰς Ὑψίστου, καὶ λυσιτελήσει σοι μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ χρυσίον.

11 Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring you more profit than gold.

12 σύγκλεισον ἐλεημοσύνην ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις σου, καὶ αὕτη ἐξελεῖταί σε ἐκ πάσης κακώσεως·

12 Shut up alms in your storehouses: and it shall deliver you from all affliction.

13 ὑπὲρ ἀσπίδα κράτους καὶ ὑπὲρ δόρυ ἀλκῆς κατέναντι ἐχθροῦ πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ.

13 It shall fight for you against your enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.

14 ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ἐγγυήσεται τὸν πλησίον, καὶ ὁ ἀπολωλεκὼς αἰσχύνην καταλήψει αὐτόν.

14 An honest man is surety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent will forsake him.

15 Χάριτας ἐγγύου μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ, ἔδωκε γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ σοῦ.

15 Forget not the friendship of your surety, for he has given his life for you.

16 ἀγαθὰ ἐγγύου ἀνατρέψει ἁμαρτωλός, καὶ ἀχάριστος ἐν διανοίᾳ ἐγκαταλείψει ρυσάμενον.

16 A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety: And he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him [in danger] that delivered him. (verse 29:16-17 in Brenton's English)

17 ἐγγύη πολλοὺς ἀπώλεσε κατευθύνοντας καὶ ἐσάλευσεν αὐτοὺς ὡς κῦμα θαλάσσης· ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς ἀπῴκισε καὶ ἐπλανήθησαν ἐν ἔθνεσιν ἀλλοτρίοις.

17 Suretiship has undone many of good estate, and shaken them as a wave of the sea: mighty men has it driven from their houses, so that they wandered amongst strange nations. (verse 18 in Brenton's English)

19 ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐμπεσὼν εἰς ἐγγύην καὶ διώκων ἐργολαβίας ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κρίσεις.

19 A wicked man transgressing the commandments of the Lord shall fall into suretiship: and he that undertakes and follows other men's business for gain shall fall into suits.

20 ἀντιλαβοῦ τοῦ πλησίον κατὰ δύναμίν σου καὶ πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐμπέσῃς.

20 Help your neighbour according to your power, and beware that you yourself fall not into the same.

21 Ἀρχὴ ζωῆς ὕδωρ καὶ ἄρτος καὶ ἱμάτιον καὶ οἶκος καλύπτων ἀσχημοσύνην.

21 The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and clothing, and an house to cover shame.

22 κρείσσων βίος πτωχοῦ ὑπὸ σκέπην δοκῶν ἢ ἐδέσματα λαμπρὰ ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις.

22 Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man's house.

23 ἐπὶ μικρῷ καὶ μεγάλῳ εὐδοκίαν ἔχε, καὶ ὀνειδισμὸν παροικίας οὐ μὴ ἀκούσῃς.

23 Be it little or much, hold you contented, that you hear not the reproach of your house.

24 ζωὴ πονηρὰ ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν, καὶ οὗ παροικήσεις, οὐκ ἀνοίξει στόμα.

24 For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where you are a stranger, you dare not open your mouth.

25 ξενιεῖς καὶ ποτιεῖς εἰς ἀχάριστα καὶ πρὸς ἐπὶ τούτοις πικρὰ ἀκούσῃ·

25 You shall entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover you shall hear bitter words:

26 πάρελθε, πάροικε, κόσμησον τράπεζαν, καὶ εἴτι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου, ψώμισόν με.

26 Come, you stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that you have ready.

27 ἔξελθε, πάροικε, ἀπὸ προσώπου δόξης, ἐπεξένωταί μοι ὁ ἀδελφός, χρεία τῆς οἰκίας.

27 Give place, you stranger, to an honourable man; my brother comes to be lodged, and I have need of my house.

28 βαρέα ταῦτα ἀνθρώπῳ ἔχοντι φρόνησιν, ἐπιτίμησις οἰκίας καὶ ὀνειδισμὸς δανειστοῦ.

28 These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of houseroom, and reproaching of the lender.