Sirach 29 - Contemporary English Version Interconfessional Edition

Loans

¹ Obey God's Law about helping your neighbors; have mercy and lend them money when they truly need it.

² If others lend you money, pay them back, and don't be late!

³ If you keep your promises to pay what you owe, others will be glad to lend you what you need.

⁴ Many think what they borrow is theirs to keep, and this causes trouble when others try to help them.

⁵ Those who lend money are treated with great respect until the time comes for loans to be repaid. Then all they get are excuses and stories of hard times.

⁶ Sometimes they feel lucky to get back half of the money they lent. And instead of respect, a lender often gets nothing but curses and angry words from a borrower who is robbing the lender by not paying back the loan.

⁷ That's why many refuse to lend; they do care about others, but they have no desire to be cheated.

Give Generously to the Poor

⁸ However, give to the poor; be quick and generous.

⁹ Obey the Lord's command— don't refuse to help when people are in need.

¹⁰ Give away your silver to a brother or a friend; don't hide it under a rock, where it will rust.

¹¹ Give your gold to the needy as God Most High commands, and you will be better off than if you had kept it.

¹² Your gifts to the poor are a treasure that will rescue you when trouble comes,

¹³ and they give better protection than the strongest shields and spears.

Guaranteeing a Loan for a Friend

¹⁴ When a friend needs a loan, a good person will guarantee that the loan will be repaid. To refuse to help this friend would be a disgrace.

¹⁵ And remember—if friends have helped you this way, they have risked all they own to be kind *

¹⁶ and rescue you. So if they are forced to repay what you borrowed,

¹⁷ you are not only ungrateful, you are a sinner.

¹⁸ People of wealth and power have often become poor and homeless, drifting from place to place in foreign countries, their wealth taken in payment for loans they guaranteed.

¹⁹ Sinners want to make big profits from guaranteed loans, but they may get only trouble and lawsuits in court.

²⁰ Be careful! There is danger when you guarantee a loan, but you have to help a friend as much as you can.

Your Own Home Is Best

²¹ Life's most important things are water, food, clothing, and a home that gives you some privacy.

²² It is better to be poor in your own home, than to live with others and be treated to banquets.

²³ Be content with what you have, because you will be insulted if you live off others.

²⁴ You will always be miserable and will not dare say a word, if you have to depend on others for food and a place to sleep.

²⁵ You will become their servant, and instead of thanking you, they will say,

²⁶ “Stranger, set the table!” Or, “I'm still hungry— give me your food.”

²⁷ Finally they will tell you to leave so they can give your room to a relative or some important guest.

²⁸ Such comments are insulting to a sensitive person, just like those of a lender demanding payment of a loan.