Chapter 29

¹He that sheweth mercy, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that is stronger in hand, keepeth the commandments. ²Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due time. ³Reap thy word, and deal faithfully with him: and thou shalt always find that which is necessary for thee. ⁴Many have looked upon a thing lent as a thing found, and have given trouble to them that helped them. ⁵Till they receive, they kiss the hands of the lender, and in promises they humble their voice: ⁶But when they should repay, they will ask time, and will return tedious and murmuring words, and will complain of the time: ⁷And if he be able to pay, he will stand off, he will scarce pay one half, and will count it as if he had found it: ⁸But if not, he will defraud him of his money, and he shall get him for an enemy without cause: ⁹And he will pay him with reproaches and curses, and instead of honour and good turn will repay him injuries. ¹⁰Many have refused to lend, not out of wickedness, but they were afraid to be defrauded without cause. ¹¹But yet towards the poor be thou more hearty, and delay not to shew him mercy. ¹²Help the poor because of the commandment: and send him not away empty handed because of his poverty. ¹³Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend: and hide it not under a stone to be lost. ¹⁴Place thy treasure in the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold. ¹⁵Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help for thee against all evil. ¹⁶Better than the shield of the mighty, and better than the spear: ¹⁷It shall fight for thee against thy enemy. ¹⁸A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, will leave him to himself. ¹⁹Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given his life for thee. ²⁰The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety. ²¹A sinner attributeth to himself the goods of his surety: and he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him that delivered him. ²²A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost all shame, he shall forsake him. ²³Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea. ²⁴It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about, and they have wandered in strange countries. ²⁵A sinner that transgresseth the commandment of the Lord, shall fall into an evil suretyship: and he that undertaketh many things, shall fall into judgment. ²⁶Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not. ²⁷The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame. ²⁸Better is the poor man's fare under a roof of boards, than sumptuous cheer abroad in another man's house. ²⁹Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt not hear the reproach of going abroad. ³⁰It is a miserable life to go as a guest from house to house: for where a man is a stranger, he shall not deal confidently, nor open his mouth. ³¹He shall entertain and feed, and give drink to the unthankful, and moreover he shall hear bitter words. ³²Go, stranger, and furnish the table, and give others to eat what thou hast in thy hand. ³³Give place to the honourable presence of my friends: for I want my house, my brother being to be lodged with me. ³⁴These things are grievous to a man of understanding: the upbraiding of houseroom, and the reproaching of the lender.