New English [1970], THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE) [word count] [B16000].
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1 A devout man lends to his neighbour;
by supporting him he keeps the commandments.
2 Lend to your neighbour in his time of need;
repay your neighbour punctually.
3 Be as good as your word and keep faith with him,
and your needs will always be met.
4 Many treat a loan as a windfall
and bring trouble on those who helped them.
5 Until he gets a loan, a man kisses his neighbour's hand
and talks with bated breath about his money;
but when it is time to repay, he postpones it,
pays back only perfunctory promises,
and alleges that the time is too short. note
6 If he can pay, his creditor will scarcely get back half,
and will count himself lucky at that;
if he cannot pay, he has defrauded the other of his money,
and gratuitously made an enemy of him; note
he will pay him back in curses and insults
and with shame instead of honour.
7 Because of such dishonesty many refuse to lend,
for fear of being needlessly defrauded.
8 Nevertheless be patient with the penniless,
and do not keep him waiting for your charity;
9 for the commandment's sake help the poor,
and in his need do not send him away empty-handed.
10 Be ready to lose money for a brother or a friend;
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Counsels upon social behaviour
do not leave it to rust away under a stone.
11 Store up for yourself the treasure which the Most High has commanded,
and it will benefit you more than gold.
12 Let almsgiving be the treasure in your strong-room,
and it will rescue you from every misfortune.
13 It will arm you against the enemy
better than stout shield or strong spear.
14 A good man will stand surety for his neighbour;
only a man who has lost all sense of shame will fail him.
15 If a man stands surety for you, do not forget his kindness,
for he has staked his very self for you.
16 A sinner wastes the property of his surety,
17 and an ungrateful man fails his rescuer.
18 Suretyship has ruined the prosperity of many
and wrecked them like a storm at sea;
it has driven men of influence into exile,
and set them wandering in foreign countries.
19 When a sinner commits himself to suretyship,
his pursuit of gain will involve him in lawsuits.
20 Help your neighbour to the best of your ability,
but beware of becoming too deeply involved.
21 The necessities of life are water, bread, and clothes,
and a home with its decent privacy;
22 better the life of a poor man in his own hut
than a sumptuous banquet in another man's house.
23 Be content with whatever you have,
and do not get a name for living on hospitality. note
24 It is a poor life going from house to house,
keeping your mouth shut because you are a visitor.
25 You receive the guests and hand the drinks without being thanked for it,
and into the bargain must listen to words that rankle:
26 ‘Come here, stranger, and lay the table;
whatever you have there, hand it to me.’
27 ‘Be off, stranger! Make way for a more important guest;
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Counsels upon social behaviour
my brother has come to stay, and I need the guest-room.’
28 How hard it is for a sensible man to bear
criticism from the household or abuse from his creditor!
New English [1970], THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE) [word count] [B16000].
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