Lend charitably, 3. and restore faithfully. 10. For the fault of ill debtors, omit not to help the honest. 12. rather give alms where need is. 19. Be thankful for suretyship, 28. Live frugally. 32. Go not a-guesting for delicate cheer.Lend charitably, 3. and restore faithfully. 10. For the fault of il debters, omitte not to helpe the honest. 12. rather geue almes where nede is. 19. Be thankful for suretiship, 28. Liue frugally. 32. Goe not a ghestning for delicate chere.✦
He that lendeth to his neighbour, doth mercy: and he that prevaileth with hand, keepeth the commandments.HE that lendeth to his neighbour, doth mercie: and he that preuayleth with hand, keepeth the commandmentes.Qui facit misericordiam fœneratur proximo suo : et qui prævalet manu mandata servat.
2Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his necessity, and again repay thy neighbour in his time.Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his necessitie, and againe repay thy neighbour in his time.✦Fœnerare proximo tuo in tempore necessitatis illius : et iterum redde proximo in tempore suo.
3Confirm thy word, and do faithfully with him: and thou shalt find at all time, that which is necessary for thee.Confirme thy word, and doe faithfully with him: & thou shalt finde at al time, that which is necessarie for thee.✦Confirma verbum, et fideliter age cum illo : et in omni tempore invenies quod tibi necessarium est.
4Many have esteemed a thing lent as a thing found, and have given molestiam: unwanted sexual advance; trouble, vexation to them that did help them.Manie haue esteemed a thing lent as a thing found, and haue geuen molestation to them that did helpe them.✦Multi quasi inventionem æstimaverunt fœnus, et præstiterunt molestiam his qui se adjuverunt.
5Till they receive, they kiss the hands of the lender, and in promises they humble their voice:Til they receiue, they kisse the handes of the lender, and in promises they humble their voice:Donec accipiant, osculantur manus dantis, et in promissionibus humiliant vocem suam :
6and in the time of repaying they will ask a time, and will speak words of tediousness and murmurings, and will make the time an excuse:and in the time of repaying they wil aske a time, and wil speake wordes of tediousnes and murmurings, and wil make the time an excuse:et in tempore redditionis postulabit tempus, et loquetur verba tædii et murmurationum, et tempus causabitur.
7and if he be able to pay, he will resist, he will pay scarce half of the whole, and will account it as a thing found:and if he be able to pay, he wil resist, he wil pay scarse halfe of the whole, and wil accouut it as a thing found:Si autem potuerit reddere, adversabitur : solidi vix reddet dimidium, et computabit illud quasi inventionem :
8but if not, he will defraud him of his money, and possess him an enemy without cause:but if not, he wil defraude him of his money, and possesse him an enemie without cause:sin autem, fraudabit illum pecunia sua, et possidebit illum inimicum gratis :
9and will repay him reproaches and curses, and for honour and benefit will repay him contumeliam: insulting abuse, reproach.and wil repay him reproches and curses, and for honour and benefite wil repay him contumelie.et convitia et maledicta reddet illi, et pro honore et beneficio reddet illi contumeliam.
10Many have not lent, not because of wickedness, but they were afraid to be defrauded without cause.Manie haue not lent, not because of wickednes, but they were afraid to be defrauded without cause.✦Multi non causa nequitiæ non fœnerati sunt, sed fraudari gratis timuerunt.
11But yet upon the humble be stronger of mind, and for alms non trahas illum: defer, put off him not.But yet vpon the humble be stronger of minde, & for almes differre him not.✦Verumtamen super humilem animo fortior esto, et pro eleemosyna non trahas illum.
12Because of the commandment receive the poor: and because of his poverty, send him not away empty.Because of the commandment receiue the poore: and because of his pouertie, send him not away emptie.Propter mandatum assume pauperem, et propter inopiam ejus ne dimittas eum vacuum.
13Lose money for thy brother and thy friend: and hide it not under a stone unto perdition.Lose money for thy brother and thy freind: and hide it not vnder a stone vnto perdition.✦Perde pecuniam propter fratrem et amicum tuum, et non abscondas illam sub lapide in perditionem.
14Put thy treasure in the precepts of the Highest, and it shall profit thee more than gold.Put thy treasure in the precepts of the Highest, & it shal profite thee more then gold.✦Pone thesaurum tuum in præceptis Altissimi, et proderit tibi magis quam aurum.
15Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and the same shall obtain for thee against all evil.Shut vp almes in the hart of the poore, and the same shal obteyne for thee against al euil.✦Conclude eleemosynam in corde pauperis, et hæc pro te exorabit ab omni malo.
16Above the shield of the mighty,Aboue the shilde of the mightie,Super scutum potentis
17and above the spear, it shall fight against thine enemy.& aboue the speare, it shal fight against thyne enemie.et super lanceam
18A good man becometh fidem facit: one who pledges himself for another's debt for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, will leave him to himself.A good man becometh suretie for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, wil leaue him to himself.adversus inimicum tuum pugnabit.
19Forget not the kindness of a surety: for he hath given his life for thee.Forget not the kindnes of a suertie: for he hath geuen his life for thee.Vir bonus fidem facit pro proximo suo : et qui perdiderit confusionem derelinquet sibi.
20The sinner and unclean person fleeth from his surety.The sinner and vncleane person fleeth from his suretie.Gratiam fidejussoris ne obliviscaris : dedit enim pro te animam suam.
21A sinner counteth the goods of his surety to himself: and unthankful in mind, will forsake him that delivered him.A sinner counteth the goodes of his suretie to himself: and vnthankful in minde, wil forsake him that deliuered him.Repromissorem fugit peccator et immundus.
22A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost shame, he shall be forsaken of him.A man is suretie for his neigbour: and when he hath lost shame, he shal be forsaken of him.Bona repromissoris sibi ascribit peccator : et ingratus sensu derelinquet liberantem se.
23Naughty repromissio: the standing surety for another's debt hath undone many, that were in good case, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea.Naughtie suretieshippe hath vndone manie, that were in good case, and hath tossed them as a waue of the sea.✦Vir repromittit de proximo suo : et cum perdiderit reverentiam, derelinquetur ab eo.
24Whirling round about, it hath made mighty men to remove, and they have wandered in strange nations.Whurling round about, it hath made mightie men to remoue, and they haue wandred in strange nations.✦Repromissio nequissima multos perdidit dirigentes, et commovit illos quasi fluctus maris.
25A sinner that transgresseth the commandment of our Lord, shall fall into naughty suretyship: and he that endeavoureth to do many things, shall fall into judgement.A sinner that trangresseth the commandment of our Lord, shal fal into naughtie suretieshippe: and he that endeuoureth to doe manie thinges, shal fal into iudgement.✦Viros potentes gyrans migrare fecit, et vagati sunt in gentibus alienis.
26Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not.Recouer thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heede to thy self that thou fal not.✦Peccator transgrediens mandatum Domini incidet in promissionem nequam : et qui conatur multa agere incidet in judicium.
27The beginning of man's life water and bread, and garment, and house covering his turpitudinem: moral depravity; shameful nakedness.The beginning of mans life water & bread, and garment, and house couering his turpitude.✦Recupera proximum secundum virtutem tuam, et attende tibi ne incidas.
28Better is the poor man's victus: food, sustenance under a roof of boards, than sumptuous epulæ: rich fare, banqueting in a strange place without a house.Better is the poore mans fayre vnder a roofe of bordes, then sumptuous cheere in a strange place without a house.✦Initium vitæ hominis, aqua et panis, et vestimentum, et domus protegens turpitudinem.
29Let the least thing please thee in stead of a great, and thou shalt not hear the reproach of peregrinationis: sojourning abroad as a stranger.Let the least thing please thee in steede of a great, and thou shalt not heare the reproach of peregrination.✦Melior est victus pauperis sub tegmine asserum quam epulæ splendidæ in peregre sine domicilio.
30It is a naughty life to change lodging from house to house: and where he shall lodge, he shall not deal boldly, nor open his mouth.It is a naughtie life to change lodging from house to house: and where he shal lodge, he shal not deale boldely, nor open his mouth.✦Minimum pro magno placeat tibi, et improperium peregrinationis non audies.
31He shall lodge, and feed, and make the unthankful drink, and beside these things he shall hear bitter words.He shal lodge, and feede, and make the vnthanckful drinke, and beside these thinges he shal heare bitter wordes.✦Vita nequam hospitandi de domo in domum : et ubi hospitabitur non fiducialiter aget, nec aperiet os.
32Pass thou stranger, and furnish the table, and with the things thou hast in thy hand, feed the rest.Passe thou stranger, & furnish the table, & with the thinges thou hast in thy hand, feede the rest.Hospitabitur, et pascet, et potabit ingratos, et ad hæc amara audiet :
33Depart from the presence of the honour of my friends: for the necessity of my house my brother is to be lodged with me.Depart from the presence of the honour of my freindes: for the necessitie of my house my brother is to be lodged with me.transi, hospes, et orna mensam, et quæ in manu habes ciba ceteros.
34These things be grievous to a man that hath understanding: rebuke for the house, and the reproach of the lender.These thinges be greuous to a man that hath vnderstanding: rebuke for the house, and the reproch of the lender.Exi a facie honoris amicorum meorum : necessitudine domus meæ hospitio mihi factus est frater.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.