He that sheweth mercy, lendeth to his neighbour: and he that is stronger in hand, keepeth the commandments.

Qui facit misericordiam fœneratur proximo suo: et qui prævalet manu mandata servat.

Heart full of kindness and hand full of comfort will keep the commandment, Lend to thy neighbour.

Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due time.

Fœnerare proximo tuo in tempore necessitatis illius: et iterum redde proximo in tempore suo.

Neighbour must borrow easily when he needs, must repay readily when his need is over.

Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him: and thou shalt always find that which is necessary for thee.

Confirma verbum, et fideliter age cum illo: et in omni tempore invenies quod tibi necessarium est.

Keep thy bond, deal faithfully, and thou shalt never lack.

Many have looked upon a thing lent as a thing found, and have given trouble to them that helped them.

Multi quasi inventionem æstimaverunt fœnus, et præstiterunt molestiam his qui se adjuverunt.

Out upon the man that treats loan as treasure trove, and is a burden to his benefactor!

Till they receive, they kiss the hands of the lender, and in promises they humble their voice:

Donec accipiant, osculantur manus dantis, et in promissionibus humiliant vocem suam:

What, kiss the hand that gives, and make humble promises of repayment;

But when they should repay, they will ask time, and will return tedious and murmuring words, and will complain of the time:

et in tempore redditionis postulabit tempus, et loquetur verba tædii et murmurationum, et tempus causabitur.

then, when the debt falls due, ask for grace, and complain peevishly of hard times?

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:

Si autem potuerit reddere, adversabitur: solidi vix reddet dimidium, et computabit illud quasi inventionem:

Pay grudgingly when pay thou canst, offer but half the sum, and count it a windfall for the lender?

But if not, he will defraud him of his money, and he shall get him for an enemy without cause.

sin autem, fraudabit illum pecunia sua, et possidebit illum inimicum gratis:

Or, if thou canst not, disown the debt and make an enemy of him,

And he will pay him with reproaches and curses, and instead of honour and good turn will repay him injuries.

et convitia et maledicta reddet illi, et pro honore et beneficio reddet illi contumeliam.

rewarding thy benefactor not with due honour, but with angry curse and reproach?

Many have refused to lend, not out of wickedness, but they were afraid to be defrauded without cause.

Multi non causa nequitiæ non fœnerati sunt, sed fraudari gratis timuerunt.

What wonder if many refuse to lend, not churlishly but for fear of wilful wrong?

But yet towards the poor be thou more hearty, and delay not to shew him mercy.

Verumtamen super humilem animo fortior esto, et pro eleemosyna non trahas illum.

Yet I would have thee patient with needy folk; do not keep them waiting for thy charity;

Help the poor because of the commandment: and send him not away empty handed because of his poverty.

Propter mandatum assume pauperem, et propter inopiam ejus ne dimittas eum vacuum.

befriend them, as the law commands, nor ever send them away in their misery empty-handed.

Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend: and hide it not under a stone to be lost.

Perde pecuniam propter fratrem et amicum tuum, et non abscondas illam sub lapide in perditionem.

It is thy brother, thy friend that asks; better lose thy money than leave it to rust in a vault.

Place thy treasure in the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.

Pone thesaurum tuum in præceptis Altissimi, et proderit tibi magis quam aurum.

Lay up store for thyself by obeying the commandments of the most High; more than gold it shall profit thee;

Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help for thee against all evil.

Conclude eleemosynam in corde pauperis, et hæc pro te exorabit ab omni malo.

the good deed treasured in poor men’s hearts shall ransom thee from all harm,

Better than the shield of the mighty, and better than the spear:

17 18 Super scutum potentis et super lanceam adversus inimicum tuum pugnabit.

shall more avail than stout shield or lance

It shall fight for thee against thy enemy.

to ward off thy enemies.

A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, will leave him to himself.

Vir bonus fidem facit pro proximo suo: et qui perdiderit confusionem derelinquet sibi.

Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given his life for thee.

Gratiam fidejussoris ne obliviscaris: dedit enim pro te animam suam.

Kindness bids thee go bail for thy neighbour; he has lost all shame if he plays thee false.

The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety.

Repromissorem fugit peccator et immundus.

And if another goes bail for thee, do not forget the benefit done thee; he gave his life for thine.

A sinner attributeth to himself the goods of his surety: and he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him that delivered him.

Bona repromissoris sibi ascribit peccator: et ingratus sensu derelinquet liberantem se.

It is right foully done to play a surety false;

A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost all shame, he shall forsake him.

Vir repromittit de proximo suo: et cum perdiderit reverentiam, derelinquetur ab eo.

wouldst thou treat his goods as if they were thy own? Wouldst thou, ungrateful wretch, leave thy ransomer to suffer for it?

Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea.

Repromissio nequissima multos perdidit dirigentes, et commovit illos quasi fluctus maris.

Men have gone bail ere now for shameless friends that so abandoned them.

It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about, and they have wandered in strange countries.

Viros potentes gyrans migrare fecit, et vagati sunt in gentibus alienis.

By going bail for scoundrels, men of good fortune have fallen upon ruin and shipwreck;

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.

Peccator transgrediens mandatum Domini incidet in promissionem nequam: et qui conatur multa agere incidet in judicium.

men that held their heads high must now wander far and wide, exiles in strange countries.

Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not.

Recupera proximum secundum virtutem tuam, et attende tibi ne incidas.

Leave godless sinners to become sureties to their ruin; men that take rash ventures to fall into the law’s clutches.

The chief thing for man’s life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame.

Initium vitæ hominis, aqua et panis, et vestimentum, et domus protegens turpitudinem.

For thyself, relieve thy neighbour as thy means allow, but never to thy own entanglement.

Better is the poor man’s fare under a roof of boards, than sumptuous cheer abroad in another man’s house.

Melior est victus pauperis sub tegmine asserum quam epulæ splendidæ in peregre sine domicilio.

What are man’s first needs? Water, and bread, and clothing, and the privacy of a home.

Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt not hear the reproach of going abroad.

Minimum pro magno placeat tibi, et improperium peregrinationis non audies.

Better the poor man’s fare under his roof of bare boards, than to be guest at a splendid banquet, and home have none.

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.

Vita nequam hospitandi de domo in domum: et ubi hospitabitur non fiducialiter aget, nec aperiet os.

Make much of the little thou hast; never be it thine to bear the reproach of a wanderer.

He shall entertain and feed, and give drink to the unthankful, and moreover he shall hear bitter words.

Hospitabitur, et pascet, et potabit ingratos, et ad hæc amara audiet:

A wretched life it is, passing on from house to house to find a welcome; that welcome found, thou wilt lack all confidence, and sit there mumchance.

Go, stranger, and furnish the table, and give others to eat what thou hast in thy hand.

transi, hospes, et orna mensam, et quæ in manu habes ciba ceteros.

Then, when thou hast helped to entertain, with food and drink, the guests that owe thee no thanks, thou wilt have a poor reward for it:

Give place to the honourable presence of my friends: for I want my house, my brother being to be lodged with me.

Exi a facie honoris amicorum meorum: necessitudine domus meæ hospitio mihi factus est frater.

Up, wanderer! Lay me a fresh table, and what lies before thee hand to others;

These things are grievous to a man of understanding: the upbraiding of houseroom, and the reproaching of the lender.

Gravia hæc homini habenti sensum: correptio domus, et improperium fœneratoris.

I have honoured guests coming, and thou must make way for them; a kinsman of mine stands in need of my hospitality!

Bitter words for an honest man to hear; shall he owe his bread to one that reviles him as homeless?