top Wisdom of Sirach ch 29

Chapter 29

1 Ὁ ποιῶν ἔλεος δανιεῖ τῷ πλησίον, καὶ ὁ ἐπισχύων τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τηρεῖ ἐντολάς. 1 He that is merciful will lend unto his neighbour; and he that strengtheneth his hand keepeth the commandments.
2 δάνεισον τῷ πλησίον ἐν καιρῷ χρείας αὐτοῦ καὶ πάλιν ἀπόδος τῷ πλησίον εἰς τὸν καιρόν· 2 Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season.
3 στερέωσον λόγον καὶ πιστώθητι μετ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ εὑρήσεις τὴν χρείαν σου. 3 Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shalt always find the thing that is necessary for thee.
4 πολλοὶ ὡς εὕρεμα ἐνόμισαν δάνος καὶ παρέσχον κόπον 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 χεῖρας 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 hath received, he will kiss a man's hand; and for his neighbour's money he will speak submissively: 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 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 πολλοὶ οὐ 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' ἐλεημοσύνῃ μὴ παρελκύσῃς αὐτόν. 8 Yet have thou patience with a man in poor estate, and delay not to shew 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 thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost.
11 θὲς τὸν θησαυρόν σου κατ' ἐντολὰς ὑψίστου, καὶ λυσιτελήσει σοὶ μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ χρυσίον. 11 Lay up thy treasure according to the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.
12 σύγκλεισον ἐλεημοσύνην ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις σου καὶ αὕτη ἐξελεῖταί σὲ ἐκ πάσης κακώσεως· 12 Shut up alms in thy storehouses: and it shall deliver thee from all affliction.
13 ὑπὲρ ἀσπίδα κράτους καὶ ὑπὲρ δόρυ ὁλκῆς κατέναντι ἐχθροῦ πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ. 13 It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.
14 ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ἐγγυήσεται τὸν πλησίον, καὶ ὁ ἀπολωλεκὼς αἰσχύνην ἐγκαταλείψει αὐτόν. 14 An honest man is surety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent will forsake him.
15 χάριτας ἐγγύου μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ· ἔδωκεν γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ σοῦ. 15 Forget not the friendship of thy surety, for he hath given his life for thee.
16 ἀγαθὰ ἐγγύου ἀνατρέψει ἁμαρτωλός, καὶ ἀχάριστος ἐν διανοίᾳ ἐγκαταλείψει ῥυσάμενον. 16 A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety:
17 ἐγγύη πολλοὺς ἀπώλεσεν κατευθύνοντας καὶ ἐσάλευσεν αὐτοὺς ὡς κῦμα θαλάσσης· 17 And he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him in danger that delivered him.
18 ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς ἀπῴκισεν, καὶ ἐπλανήθησαν ἐν ἔθνεσιν ἀλλοτρίοις. 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 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 undertaketh and followeth other men's business for gain shall fall into suits.
20 ἀντιλαβοῦ τοῦ πλησίον κατὰ δύναμίν σου καὶ πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐμπέσῃς. 20 Help thy neighbour according to thy power, and beware that thou thyself 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 thee contented, that thou hear not the reproach of thy house.
24 ζωὴ πονηρὰ ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν, καὶ οὗ παροικήσεις, οὐκ ἀνοίξεις στόμα· 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 ξενιεῖς καὶ ποτιεῖς εἰς ἀχάριστα καὶ πρὸς ἐπὶ τούτοις πικρὰ ἀκούσῃ 25 Thou shalt entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover thou shalt hear bitter words:
26 πάρελθε, πάροικε, κόσμησον τράπεζαν, καὶ εἴ τι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου, ψώμισόν με· 26 Come, thou stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that thou hast ready.
27 ἔξελθε πάροικε, ἀπὸ προσώπου δόξης, ἐπεξένωταί μοι ὁ ἀδελφός, χρεία τῆς οἰκίας. 27 Give place, thou stranger, to an honourable man; my brother cometh to be lodged, and I have need of mine 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.