Sirach 29:21-28

Common English Bible

²¹ Life’s foundations are water,
bread, clothing,
    and a house for ensuring privacy.
²² Better is the life of the poor
under a shelter of rafters
    than magnificent food
    in foreign countries.
²³ Be content with a little or a lot,
    and you will never be put down
    for being a sojourner.
²⁴ Going from house to house
is a miserable life,
    and wherever you are an immigrant,
    don’t open your mouth.
²⁵ You will entertain and provide drink
without thanks,
    and you will hear bitter words
    such as these:
²⁶ “Come here, foreigner, prepare a table;
    and if there’s something in your hand,
    feed it to me.
²⁷ Go away, foreigner,
I have a reputable guest;
    my brother has come to visit,
    and I need the house.”
²⁸ These are difficult things
for a person of intelligence:
    criticism for being an immigrant
    and rebuke from a moneylender.