⁷ If anyone is poor^(A) among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted^(B) toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded^(C) and freely lend them whatever they need. ⁹ Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts,^(D) is near,” so that you do not show ill will^(E) toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.^{(F) 10} Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart;^(G) then because of this the Lord your God will bless^(H) you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people^(I) in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.^(J)

Freeing Servants^(K)(L)

¹² If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free.^{(M) 13} And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed. ¹⁴ Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor^(N) and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you. ¹⁵ Remember that you were slaves^(O) in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you.^(P) That is why I give you this command today.

¹⁶ But if your servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, ¹⁷ then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your female servant.

¹⁸ Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because their service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.

³⁵ “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor^(A) and are unable to support themselves among you, help them^(B) as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. ³⁶ Do not take interest^(C) or any profit from them, but fear your God,^(D) so that they may continue to live among you. ³⁷ You must not lend them money at interest^(E) or sell them food at a profit. ³⁸ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan^(F) and to be your God.^(G)

³⁹ “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.^{(H) 40} They are to be treated as hired workers^(I) or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. ⁴¹ Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property^(J) of their ancestors.^{(K) 42} Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt,^(L) they must not be sold as slaves. ⁴³ Do not rule over them ruthlessly,^(M) but fear your God.^(N)

Psalm 41^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.