Sirach 29
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Sirach chapter 29 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.
Patristic commentary for this chapter has not yet been attached. Related material may be found among the Church Fathers and the theology tables.
Sirach 29
1He that is merciful will lend to his neighbor; and he that strengthens his hand keeps the commandments.Ὁ ποιῶν ἔλεος δανειεῖ τῷ πλησιον, καὶ ὁ ἐπισχύων τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ τηρεῖ ἐντολάς.
2Lend to your neighbor in time of his need, and pay you your neighbor again in due season.Δάνεισον τῷ πλησίον ἐν καιρῷ χρείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάλιν ἀπόδος τῷ πλησίον εἰς τὸν καιρόν.
3Keep your word, and deal faithfully with him, and you shall always find the thing that is necessary for you.Στερέωσον λόγον, καὶ πιστώθητι μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ εὑρήσεις τὴν χρείαν σου.
4Many, when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them.Πολλοὶ ὡς εὕρεμα ἐνόμισαν δάνος, καὶ παρέσχον πόνον τοῖς βοηθήσασιν αὐτοῖς.
5Till he has received, he will kiss a man's hand; and for his neighbor's money he will speak submissly: but when he should repay, he will prolong the time, and return words of grief, and complain of the time.Ἕως οὗ λάβῃ, καταφιλήσει χεῖρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χρημάτων τοῦ πλησίον ταπεινώσει φωνήν· καὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἀποδόσεως παρελκύσει χρόνον, καὶ ἀποδώσει λόγους ἀκηδίας, καὶ τὸν καιρὸν αἰτιάσεται.
6If he prevail, he shall hardly receive the half, and he will count as if he had found it: if not, he has deprived him of his money, and he has gotten him an enemy without cause: he pays him with cursings and railings; and for honor he will pay him disgrace.Ἐὰν ἰσχύσῃ, μόλις κομίσεται τὸ ἥμισυ, καὶ λογιεῖται αὐτὸ ὡς εὕρεμα· εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀπεστέρησεν αὐτὸν τῶν χρημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκτήσατο αὐτὸν ἐχθρὸν δωρεάν· κατάρας καὶ λοιδορίας ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀντὶ δόξης ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ ἀτιμίαν.
7Many therefore have refused to lend for other men's ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.Πολλοὶ χάριν πονηρίας ἀπέστρεψαν, ἀποστερηθῆναι δωρεὰν εὐλαβήθησαν.
8Yet have you patience with a man in poor estate, and delay not to show him mercy.Πλὴν ἐπὶ ταπεινῷ μακροθύμησον, καὶ ἐπʼ ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ παρελκύσῃς αὐτόν·
9Help the poor for the commandment's sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty.Χάριν ἐντολῆς ἀντιλαβοῦ πένητος, καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς αὐτὸν κενόν.
10Lose your money for your brother and your friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost.Ἀπόλεσον ἀργύριον διʼ ἀδελφὸν καὶ φίλον, καὶ μὴ ἰωθήτω ὑπὸ τὸν λίθον εἰς ἀπώλειαν.
11Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring you more profit than gold.Θὲς τὸν θησαυρόν σου κατʼ ἐντολὰς ὑψίστου, καὶ λυσιτελήσει σοι μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ χρυσίον.
12Shut up alms in your storehouses: and it shall deliver you from all affliction.Σύγκλεισον ἐλεημοσύνην ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις σου, καὶ αὕτη ἐξελεῖταί σε ἐκ πάσης κακώσεως.
13It shall fight for you against your enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.Ὑπὲρ ἀσπίδα κράτους, καὶ ὑπὲρ δόρυ ἀλκῆς κατέναντι ἐχθροῦ πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ.
14An honest man is surety for his neighbor: but he that is impudent will forsake him.Ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ἐγγυήσεται τὸν πλησίον, καὶ ὁ ἀπολωλεκὼς αἰσχύνην καταλείψει αὐτόν.
15Forget not the friendship of your surety, for he has given his life for you.Χάριτας ἐγγύου μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ, ἔδωκε γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ σοῦ.
16A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety:Ἀγαθὰ ἐγγύου ἀνατρέψει ἁμαρτωλὸς,
17And he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him in danger that delivered him.καὶ ἀχάριστος ἐν διανοίᾳ ἐγκαταλείψει ῥυσάμενον.
18Suretiship has undone many of good estate, and shaken them as a wave of the sea: mighty men has it driven from their houses, so that they wandered among strange nations.Ἐγγύη πολλοὺς ἀπώλεσε κατευθύνοντας, καὶ ἐσάλευσεν αὐτοὺς ὡς κῦμα θαλάσσης· ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς ἀπῴκισε, καὶ ἐπλανήθησαν ἐν ἔθνεσιν ἀλλοτρίοις.
19A wicked man transgressing the commandments of the Lord shall fall into suretiship: and he that undertakes and follows other men's business for gain shall fall into suits.Ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐμπεσὼν εἰς ἐγγύην, καὶ διώκων ἐργολαβείας ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς κρίσεις.
20Help your neighbor according to your power, and beware that you yourself fall not into the same.Ἀντιλαβοῦ τοῦ πλησίον κατὰ δύναμίν σου, καὶ πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐμπέσῃς.
21The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and clothing, and an house to cover shame.Ἀρχὴ ζωῆς ὕδωρ, καὶ ἄρτος, καὶ ἱμάτιον, καὶ οἶκος καλύπτων ἀσχημοσύνην.
22Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man's house.Κρείσσων βίος πτωχοῦ ὑπὸ σκέπην δοκῶν, ἢ ἐδέσματα λαμπρὰ ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις.
23Be it little or much, hold you contented, that you hear not the reproach of your house.Ἐπὶ μικρῷ καὶ μεγάλῳ εὐδοκίαν ἔχε.
24For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where you are a stranger, you dare not open your mouth.Ζωὴ πονηρὰ ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν, καὶ οὗ παροικήσει, οὐκ ἀνοίξει στόμα.
25You shall entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover you shall hear bitter words:Ξενιεῖς καὶ ποτιεῖς εἰς ἀχάριστα, καὶ πρὸς ἐπὶ τούτοις πικρὰ ἀκούσῃ·
26Come, you stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that you have ready.πάρελθε πάροικε, κόσμησον τράπεζαν, καὶ εἴτι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου ψώμισόν με·
27Give place, you stranger, to an honorable man; my brother comes to be lodged, and I have need of my house.ἔξελθε πάροικε ἀπὸ προσώπου δόξης, ἐπεξένωταί μοι ὁ ἀδελφὸς, χρεία τῆς οἰκίας.
28These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of houseroom, and reproaching of the lender.Βαρέα ταῦτα ἀνθρώπῳ ἔχοντι φρόνησιν, ἐπιτίμησις οἰκίας καὶ ὀνειδισμὸς δανειστοῦ. ΠΕΡΙ ΤΕΚΝΩΝ.
Open Sirach 29 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.