that person sleep? And if your neighbor cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate. (vv. 25–27) This law protects poor people from being overcharged with interest; in fact, it prohibits those who are wealthy from charging people who are poor any interest at all. Neither can the banker keep the poor person’s collateral given to secure the loan. While there were significant penalties for not repaying a debt, the protections in this text are given so that repayment is more likely possible