Anonymous (Septuagint) · a new plain-English translation from the original language
1| He who shows mercy lends to his neighbor, and he who strengthens his hand keeps the commandments.
2| Lend to your neighbor in the time of his need, and in turn repay your neighbor at the time set.
3| Make your word firm and be faithful with him, and at every time you will find what you need.
4| Many have regarded a loan as a windfall, and have caused trouble to those who helped them.
5| Until he receives it, he will kiss the man's hand, and will lower his voice about his neighbor's money; but at the time of repayment he will delay the time, and will return words of complaint, and will blame the circumstances.
6| If the lender prevails, he will scarcely get back half, and will count it as a windfall; but if not, the debtor has robbed him of his money, and gained him as an enemy, at no small cost; he will repay him with curses and abuse, and instead of honor he will repay him with disgrace.
7| Many, on account of such wickedness, have turned away from lending, fearing to be robbed for nothing.
8| Nevertheless, be patient with the humble, and do not delay him for charity's sake.
9| For the commandment's sake, help the poor, and according to his need do not send him away empty.
10| Lose your silver for a brother's or a friend's sake, and do not let it rust under a stone to ruin.
11| Store your wealth as the Most High's commandments direct, and it will benefit you more than gold.
12| Store up almsgiving in your storerooms, and it will deliver you from every affliction;
13| better than a mighty shield and better than a stout spear, it will fight for you against the enemy.
14| A good man will give surety for his neighbor, but he who has lost all sense of shame will abandon him.
15| Do not forget the kindness of a guarantor, for he gave his life for you.
16| A sinner overturns the good deeds of a guarantor,
17| and the ungrateful in heart will abandon the one who rescued him.
18| Giving surety has ruined many who were doing well, and has tossed them like a wave of the sea; it has driven mighty men from their homes, and they wandered among foreign nations.
19| A sinner who rushes into giving surety, chasing after profit, will fall into lawsuits.
20| Help your neighbor according to your ability, but take care for yourself not to fall into it.
21| Life's essentials are water, bread, and clothing, plus a dwelling to cover one's shame.
22| A poor man's life under a plank roof is better than lavish meals in someone else's house.
23| Be content with little or much alike.
24| Wandering from house to house as a lodger is a wretched existence, and wherever you stay you dare not speak freely;
25| you will play host and pour drink for the ungrateful, and besides this you will hear bitter words:
26| "Come here, lodger, set the table, and if you have anything in hand, feed me";
27| "Get out, lodger, out of respect for my guest, my brother has come to stay with me, I need the room."
28| These things are hard for a man of good sense to bear: the reproach of a household, and the insult of a moneylender.