‏ Sirach 29

1He that doith merci, leeneth to his neiybore; and he that is ful myyti in hond, kepith the comaundementis. 2Leene thou to thi neiybore in the tyme of his nede; and eft yelde thou to a neiybore in his tyme. 3Conferme thou a word, and do thou feithfuli with hym; and in al tyme thou schalt fynde that, that is nedeful to thee. 4Many men gessiden borewyng as fyndyng, and yauen disese to tho men that helpiden hem. 5Til thei taken, thei kissen the hondis of the yyuer; and in biheestis thei maken meke her vois. 6And in the time of yelding he schal axe tyme, and he schal speke wordis of anoie, and of grutchingis, and he schal calenge falsli the tyme. 7Forsothe if he mai yelde, he schal be aduersarie; of a schilling vnnethis he schal yelde the half, and he schal rekyn that as fyndyng. 8Ellis he schal defraude him in his monei, and the leenere schal haue him an enemy with outen cause. 9And he schal yelde to hym, that is, to the leenere, wrongis and cursyngis; and for onour and benefice he schal yelde to hym dispisyng. 10Many men lenten not `to pore neiyboris, not for cause of wickidnesse, but thei dredden to be defraudid with outen cause. 11Netheles on a meke man in soule be thou strongere; and for almes drawe thou not hym. 12For the comaundement of God take thou a pore man; and for his nedynesse leeue thou not hym voide. 13Leese thou monei for a brother and frend, and hide thou not it vndur a stoon, in to perdicioun. 14Putte thi tresour in the comaundementis of the hiyeste; and it schal profite to thee more than gold `schal profite. 15Close thou almes in the bosum of a pore man; and this almes schal preye for thee `to be delyuered of God fro al yuel. 16The almes of a man is as a bagge with hym; and it schal kepe the grace of man as the appil of the iye. 17And aftirward it schal rise ayen, and schal yelde to hem a yelding, to ech man in to the heed of hem. 18Aboue a scheld of the myyti man, and aboue a spere it schal fiyte ayens thin enemye. 19A good man makith feith to his neiybore; and he that leesith, schal leeue schame to hym. 20Foryete thou not the grace of the borewe; for he yaf his lijf for thee. 21A synful man and vncleene fleeth the biheetere. 22A synnere arretteth to hym silf the goode wordis of the borowe; and the vnkynde man in wit forsakith a man delyuerynge hym. 23A man biheetith for his neiybore; and whanne `the neiybore hath lost reuerence, the borew schal be forsakun of hym. 24Worst biheest hath lost many louynge men, and hath moued hem as the wawis of the see. 25It goynge in cumpas made myyti men to passe ouer; and thei wandriden aboute among alien folkis. 26A synnere brekynge the comaundement of the Lord schal falle in to a wickid biheest; and he that enforsith to do many thingis, schal falle in to dom. 27Rekiuere thi neiybore bi thi vertu; and take heed to thi silf, lest thou falle. 28The bigynnyng of lijf of a man is watir, and breed, and clothing, and hous hilynge filthe. 29Betere is the lijflode of a pore man vndur the hilyng of sparris, than schynynge feestis in pilgrymage with outen hous. 30The leeste thing pleese thee for a greet thing; and thou schalt not here the schenschipe of pilgrymage. 31It is wickid lijf to seke herbore fro hous in to hous; and where he schal be herborid, he schal not do tristili, nethir he schal opene the mouth. 32He schal be herborid, and he schal feede, and yyue drinke to vnkynde men; and yit he schal here bittir thingis. 33Passe, thou that art herborid, and araye a table; and yyue thou meetis to othere men, tho thingis that thou hast in the hond. 34Go thou out fro the face of the onour of my frendis, for the frendschipe, ethir affinyte, of myn hous; bi herboryng thou art maad a brother to me. 35These thingis ben greuouse to a man hauynge wit; the repreuyng of hous, and the dispising of the vsurer.