Sirach 40

¹ And take heede, lest perauenture thou slide in tunge, and falle in the siyt of enemyes, settynge tresoun to thee, and thi falle be vncurable in to deth. ³ He that doith merci, leeneth to his neiybore; and he that is ful myyti in hond, kepith the comaundementis. ⁴ Leene thou to thi neiybore in the tyme of his nede; and eft yelde thou to a neiybore in his tyme. ⁵ Conferme thou a word, and do thou feithfuli with hym; and in al tyme thou schalt fynde that, that is nedeful to thee. ⁶ Many men gessiden borewyng as fyndyng, and yauen disese to tho men that helpiden hem. ⁷ Til thei taken, thei kissen the hondis of the yyuer; and in biheestis thei maken meke her vois. ⁸ And 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. ⁹ Forsothe if he mai yelde, he schal be aduersarie; of a schilling vnnethis he schal yelde the half, and he schal rekyn that as fyndyng. ¹⁰ Ellis he schal defraude him in his monei, and the leenere schal haue him an enemy with outen cause. ¹¹ And he schal yelde to hym, that is, to the leenere, wrongis and cursyngis; and for onour and benefice he schal yelde to hym dispisyng. ¹² Many men lenten not to pore neiyboris, not for cause of wickidnesse, but thei dredden to be defraudid with outen cause. 13 Netheles on a meke man in soule be thou strongere; and for almes drawe thou not hym. 14 For the comaundement of God take thou a pore man; and for his nedynesse leeue thou not hym voide. 15 Leese thou monei for a brother and frend, and hide thou not it vndur a stoon, in to perdicioun. 16 Putte thi tresour in the comaundementis of the hiyeste; and it schal profite to thee more than gold schal profite. ¹⁷ Close thou almes in the bosum of a pore man; and this almes schal preye for thee to be delyuered of God fro al yuel. 18 The almes of a man is as a bagge with hym; and it schal kepe the grace of man as the appil of the iye. 19 And aftirward it schal rise ayen, and schal yelde to hem a yelding, to ech man in to the heed of hem. 20 Aboue a scheld of the myyti man, and aboue a spere it schal fiyte ayens thin enemye. 21 A good man makith feith to his neiybore; and he that leesith, schal leeue schame to hym. 22 Foryete thou not the grace of the borewe; for he yaf his lijf for thee. 23 A synful man and vncleene fleeth the biheetere. 24 A synnere arretteth to hym silf the goode wordis of the borowe; and the vnkynde man in wit forsakith a man delyuerynge hym. 25 A man biheetith for his neiybore; and whanne the neiybore hath lost reuerence, the borew schal be forsakun of hym. ²⁶ Worst biheest hath lost many louynge men, and hath moued hem as the wawis of the see. ²⁷ It goynge in cumpas made myyti men to passe ouer; and thei wandriden aboute among alien folkis. ²⁸ A 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. ²⁹ Rekiuere thi neiybore bi thi vertu; and take heed to thi silf, lest thou falle. ³⁰ The bigynnyng of lijf of a man is watir, and breed, and clothing, and hous hilynge filthe.