29 1 aHe that lendeth to (his) neighbour bshoweth kindnessb,

And che that taketh him by the handc keepeth the commandments.

2 Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need,

And pay thou thy neighbour again at the appointed time.

3 Confirm thy word, and keep faith with him;

And (so) shalt thou always have what thou needest.

G 4 Many have reckoned a loan as a windfalld,

And have brought troublee on them that helped them.

5 Until he receive it, he kisseth thy hand,

And speaketh humbly about his neighbour’s money;

But when payment is due, he prolongeth the time,

S fAnd after much time he repayethf.

G 6 If he is able [to repay], he [i.e. the lender] will hardlyff receive the half,

And counteth it as a windfall;

If not [able to repay], he hath deprived him [i.e. the lender] of his money,

And he hath made him an enemy unnecessarilyg.

He repayeth him with cursings and railings,

And instead of honour gghe repayeth himgg with insulth.

7 Many, thereforei, have turned away [from lending] because of wickedness,

(For) they feared kto be defrauded for naughtk.

8 kkBut with the man of low estate be longsuffering,

lAnd let him notm wait for almsl.

9 mmHelp the poor man for the commandment’s sake,

S nAnd grieve not for the lossn.

G 10 Lose money for the sake of a brother or a friend,

And olet it not rusto under a stone por a wallp.

S 11 qLay up for thyself a treasure of righteousness and loveq,

And it shall profit thee more than rall that thou hastr.

G 12 rr sStore up almsgiving tin thy treasuriest s,

And it shall deliver thee from all evil;

13 Better than a mighty shield and a heavy spear

Shall (this) fight for thee against uan enemyu.

(k) 29:14–20. Concerning suretyship

(= 3 + 2 + 2 distichs).

G 14 A good man becometh surety for his neighbour,

But he that hath lost the sense of shame vrunneth away from his suretyv.

15 wForget not the good offices of thy surety,

For he hath given his life for theew.

16 xA sinner disregardethy the goodness of his surety,

17 zAnd the ungratefula man faileth him that delivered himz.

18 Suretyship hath undone many bthat were prosperingb,

bbAnd tossed them about as a wave of the seabb;

Men of wealth hath it driven from their homes,

And they had to wander among strange nations.

19 The sinner falleth in (his) suretyshipc,

And dhe that followeth after sinsd falleth into judgements.

20 Helpe thy neighbour according to thy power,

And take heed to thyself, that thou fall not.

(l) 29:21–28. The advantages of contentment and independence

(= 1 + 3 + 3 + 1 distichs).

21 fThe chief thing for lifeg is water and bread,

And a garment, and a house to cover nakednessh.

22 Better the life of the poor under a shelter of logs,

Than sumptuous fare iin the house of strangersi.

23 With little or with much, be contented;

אC•A248L kSo wilt thou not (have to) hear the reproach of thy wanderingl k m

G 24 An evil life (it is) to go from house to house,

And where thou artn a stranger thoun (must) not open (thy)n mouth.

S 25 oA stranger thou art [in that case], and drinkest contempto;

G And besides this thou wilt (have to) hear bitter things:

26 ‘Come hither, sojourner, furnish (my) table,

And if thou hast aught, feed me (therewith)’;

27 (Or): ‘Get thee gone, sojournerp, from the face qof honourq,

My brother is come as my guest, r(I have) need of my houser!’

G 28 These things are grievous to a man of understanding:

rrUpbraiding concerning sojournings, and the reproach of a money-lenderrr t.

(a) 30:1–13. The training of childrena

(= 3 + 3 + 1 + 3 + 3 + 1 distichs).