| Chapter 29 |
1 | He that sheweth mercy, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that is stronger in hand, keepeth the commandments.
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2 | Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due time.
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3 | Reap thy word, and deal faithfully with him: and thou shalt always find that which is necessary for thee.
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4 | Many have looked upon a thing lent as a thing found, and have given trouble to them that helped them.
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5 | Till they receive, they kiss the hands of the lender, and in promises they humble their voice:
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6 | But when they should repay, they will ask time, and will return tedious and murmuring words, and will complain of the time:
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7 | And if he be able to pay, he will stand off, he will scarce pay one half, and will count it as if he had found it:
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8 | But if not, he will defraud him of his money, and he shall get him for an enemy without cause:
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9 | And he will pay him with reproaches and curses, and instead of honour and good turn will repay him injuries.
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10 | Many have refused to lend, not out of wickedness, but they were afraid to be defrauded without cause.
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11 | But yet towards the poor be thou more hearty, and delay not to shew him mercy.
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12 | Help the poor because of the commandment: and send him not away empty handed because of his poverty.
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13 | Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend: and hide it not under a stone to be lost.
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14 | Place thy treasure in the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.
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15 | Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help for thee against all evil.
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16 | Better than the shield of the mighty, and better than the spear:
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17 | It shall fight for thee against thy enemy.
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18 | A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, will leave him to himself.
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19 | Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given his life for thee.
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20 | The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety.
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21 | A sinner attributeth to himself the goods of his surety: and he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him that delivered him.
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22 | A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost all shame, he shall forsake him.
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23 | Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea.
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24 | It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about, and they have wandered in strange countries.
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25 | A sinner that transgresseth the commandment of the Lord, shall fall into an evil suretyship: and he that undertaketh many things, shall fall into judgment.
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26 | Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not.
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27 | The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame.
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28 | Better is the poor man's fare under a roof of boards, than sumptuous cheer abroad in another man's house.
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29 | Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt not hear the reproach of going abroad.
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30 | It is a miserable life to go as a guest from house to house: for where a man is a stranger, he shall not deal confidently, nor open his mouth.
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31 | He shall entertain and feed, and give drink to the unthankful, and moreover he shall hear bitter words.
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32 | Go, stranger, and furnish the table, and give others to eat what thou hast in thy hand.
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33 | Give place to the honourable presence of my friends: for I want my house, my brother being to be lodged with me.
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34 | These things are grievous to a man of understanding: the upbraiding of houseroom, and the reproaching of the lender.
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