1 He who is kind shall lend to his neighbour;
And he who strengthens his hand guards the Commands.
2 Lend to your neighbour in his time of need,
And repay your neighbour again in due season.
3 Guard your word, and deal trustworthily with him,
And you shall always find that which is necessary for you.
4 Many reckon what was loaned to them to be found,
And put to trouble those who helped them.
5 Till he has received, he shall kiss a man’s hand;
And for his neighbour’s silver he shall speak softly;
But when he should repay, he shall prolong the time,
And return words of grief, and complain of the time.
6 If he overcomes, he shall hardly give the half,
And he shall count it as though he had found it.
If not, he has deprived him of his silver,
and he has gained an enemy without cause.
He pays him with cursings and slander;
And instead of esteem he shall pay him shame.
7 Many have therefore refused to lend for other men’s evil deeds,
Fearing to be cheated.
8 Yet have patience with a man in poverty,
And do not delay to show him kindness.
9 Help the poor for the sake of the Command,
And do not turn him away because of his poverty.
10 Lose your silver for your brother and your friend,
And do not let it rust under a stone to be lost.
11 Lay up your treasure according to the Commands of the Most High,
And it shall bring you more profit than gold.
12 Store up kind deeds in your storehouses,
And it shall deliver you from all affliction.
13 It shall fight for you against your enemies
better than a mighty shield and strong spear.
14 An honest man stands guarantor for his neighbour;
But he who is impudent shall forsake him.
15 Do not forgot the friendship of your guarantor,
For he has given his life for you.
16 A sinner shall overthrow the good manner of his guarantor;
17 And he who is thankless shall forsake he who delivered him.
18 Guarantee has undone many of good estate,
And shaken them as a wave of the sea.
It has driven mighty men from their houses,
So that they wandered among foreign nations.
19 A wicked man transgressing the
Commands of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 shall fall in guarantee;
And he who undertakes and follows other men’s
business for gain shall fall into lawsuits.
20 Assist your neighbour according to your ability,
And beware that you do not fall into the same.
21 The neccesities for life are water, and bread, and garments,
And a house for privacy.
22 Better is the life of a poor man in a lowly cottage,
Than food of delicacies in another man’s house.
23 Whether little or much, be content,
That you do not hear the reproach of your house.
24 For it is a miserable life to go from house to house;
For where you are a stranger, you dare not open your mouth.
25 You shall entertain, and feast, and have no thanks;
And you shall hear bitter words:
26 “Come, you stranger, and furnish a table,
And feed me of what you have ready.
27 “Give place, you stranger, to an esteemed man;
My brother seeks lodging, and I have need of my house.”
28 These matters are grievous to a man of understanding;
The contempt of a household, and a reproach of the lender.