Sirach 29 Clementine Vulgate
1 [Qui facit misericordiam fœneratur proximo suo: et qui prævalet manu mandata servat.
1 He who shows mercy will lend to his neighbor. He who strengthens him with his hand keeps the commandments.
2 Fœnerare proximo tuo in tempore necessitatis illius: et iterum redde proximo in tempore suo.
2 Lend to your neighbor in time of his need. Repay your neighbor on time.
3 Confirma verbum, et fideliter age cum illo: et in omni tempore invenies quod tibi necessarium est.
3 Confirm your word, and keep faith with him; and at all seasons you will find what you need.
4 Multi quasi inventionem æstimaverunt fœnus, et præstiterunt molestiam his qui se adjuverunt.
4 Many have considered a loan to be a windfall, and have given trouble to those who helped them.
5 Donec accipiant, osculantur manus dantis, et in promissionibus humiliant vocem suam:
5 Until he has received, he will kiss a man’s hands. For his neighbor’s money he will speak submissively. Then when payment is due, he will prolong the time, return excuses, and complain about the season.
6 et in tempore redditionis postulabit tempus, et loquetur verba tædii et murmurationum, et tempus causabitur.
6 If he prevails, the creditor will hardly receive half; and he will count it as a windfall. If not, he has deprived him of his money, and he has gotten him for an enemy without cause. He will pay him with cursing and railing. Instead of honor, he will pay him disgrace.
7 Si autem potuerit reddere, adversabitur: solidi vix reddet dimidium, et computabit illud quasi inventionem:
7 Many on account of fraud have turned away. They are afraid of being defrauded for nothing.
8 sin autem, fraudabit illum pecunia sua, et possidebit illum inimicum gratis:
8 However be patient with a man in poor estate. Don’t keep him waiting for your alms.
9 et convitia et maledicta reddet illi, et pro honore et beneficio reddet illi contumeliam.
9 Help a poor man for the commandment’s sake. According to his need don’t send him empty away.
10 Multi non causa nequitiæ non fœnerati sunt, sed fraudari gratis timuerunt.
10 Lose your money for a brother and a friend. Don’t let it rust under a stone and be lost.
11 Verumtamen super humilem animo fortior esto, et pro eleemosyna non trahas illum.
11 Allocate your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High and it will profit you more than gold.
12 Propter mandatum assume pauperem, et propter inopiam ejus ne dimittas eum vacuum.
12 Store up almsgiving in your store-chambers and it will deliver you out of all affliction.
13 Perde pecuniam propter fratrem et amicum tuum, et non abscondas illam sub lapide in perditionem.
13 It will fight for you against your enemy better than a mighty shield and a ponderous spear.
14 Pone thesaurum tuum in præceptis Altissimi, et proderit tibi magis quam aurum.
14 A good man will be surety for his neighbor. He who has lost shame will fail him.
15 Conclude eleemosynam in corde pauperis, et hæc pro te exorabit ab omni malo.
15 Don’t forget the kindness of your guarantor, for he has given his life for you.
16 Super scutum potentis
16 A sinner will waste the property of his guarantor.
17 et super lanceam
17 He who is thankless will fail him who delivered him.
18 adversus inimicum tuum pugnabit.]
18 Being surety has undone many who were prospering and shaken them as a wave of the sea. It has driven mighty men from their homes. They wandered among foreign nations.
19 [Vir bonus fidem facit pro proximo suo: et qui perdiderit confusionem derelinquet sibi.
19 A sinner who falls into suretiship and undertakes contracts for work will fall into lawsuits.
20 Gratiam fidejussoris ne obliviscaris: dedit enim pro te animam suam.
20 Help your neighbor according to your power, and be careful not to fall yourself.
21 Repromissorem fugit peccator et immundus.
21 The essentials of life are water, bread, a garment, and a house for privacy.
22 Bona repromissoris sibi ascribit peccator: et ingratus sensu derelinquet liberantem se.
22 Better is the life of a poor man under a shelter of logs than sumptuous fare in another man’s house.
23 Vir repromittit de proximo suo: et cum perdiderit reverentiam, derelinquetur ab eo.
23 With little or with much, be well satisfied.
24 Repromissio nequissima multos perdidit dirigentes, et commovit illos quasi fluctus maris.
24 It is a miserable life to go from house to house. Where you are a guest, you dare not open your mouth.
25 Viros potentes gyrans migrare fecit, et vagati sunt in gentibus alienis.
25 You will entertain, serve drinks, and have no thanks. In addition to this, you will hear bitter words.
26 Peccator transgrediens mandatum Domini incidet in promissionem nequam: et qui conatur multa agere incidet in judicium.
26 “Come here, you sojourner, set a table, and if you have anything in your hand, feed me with it.”
27 Recupera proximum secundum virtutem tuam, et attende tibi ne incidas.]
27 “Leave, you sojourner, for an honored guest is here. My brother has come to be my guest. I need my house.”
28 [Initium vitæ hominis, aqua et panis, et vestimentum, et domus protegens turpitudinem.
28 These things are grievous to a man of understanding: The scolding about lodging and the insults of creditors.
29 Melior est victus pauperis sub tegmine asserum quam epulæ splendidæ in peregre sine domicilio.
29 Not in this translation
30 Minimum pro magno placeat tibi, et improperium peregrinationis non audies.
30 Not in this translation
31 Vita nequam hospitandi de domo in domum: et ubi hospitabitur non fiducialiter aget, nec aperiet os.
31 Not in this translation
32 Hospitabitur, et pascet, et potabit ingratos, et ad hæc amara audiet:
32 Not in this translation
33 transi, hospes, et orna mensam, et quæ in manu habes ciba ceteros.
33 Not in this translation
34 Exi a facie honoris amicorum meorum: necessitudine domus meæ hospitio mihi factus est frater.
34 Not in this translation
35 Gravia hæc homini habenti sensum: correptio domus, et improperium fœneratoris.]
35 Not in this translation
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Shut up alms in the heart of a poor man, and it shall intercede for thee unto the Lord."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
It is written, "As water quencheth fire, so alms quencheth sin." Again it is written, "Shut up alms in the heart of a poor man, and it shall make supplication for thee before the Lord." Again it is written, "Hear, O king, my counsel, and redeem thy sins by alms." And many other testimonies of the Divine oracles are there, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… of the life of this world, in which all men are passing along as strangers, and no one abides here as possessor; but to every man it is said, "Thou hast been refreshed, pass on, go on thy way, give place to the next comer." Or perhaps from an evil "way," that is, from an evil life, some friend of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)