Dec 07
Charity to the Poor
Ecclesiasticus
Chapter 3 [Part] Chapter 4
Jerusalem Bible
Water quenches a blazing fire,
Almsgiving atones for sins.
Whoever gives favors in return is mindful of the future;
At the moment of his fall he will find support.
My son, do not refuse the poor a livelihood,
Do not tantalize the needy.
Do not add to the sufferings of the hungry,
Do not bait a man in distress.
Do not aggravate a heart already angry, nor keep the destitute waiting for your alms.
Do not repulse a hard-pressed beggar,
Nor turn your face from a poor man.
Do not avert your eyes from the destitute,
Give no man occasion to curse you;
For if a man curses you in the bitterness of his soul,
His Maker will hear his imprecation.
Give the love of the community,
Bow your head to a man of authority.
To the poor man lend an ear,
And return his greeting courteously.
Save the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor,
And do not be mean-spirited in your judgments.
Be like a father to orphans,
And as good as a husband to widows.
And you will be like a son to the Most High,
Whose love for you will surpass your mother’s.
- Jerusalem Bible: page 905-906
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