These lines about giving come from eight traditions. Each one is copied word for word from its book. They speak of sharing food and money, and of giving with a glad heart. Each line links to the full passage.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Yosi ben Yohanan of Jerusalem says: Let thy house be open wide and let poor people be members of thy household.
R. Elazar says again: Charity is rewarded only according to the kindness with which it is done; as it is written: "Sow for yourselves righteousness, that you may reap kindness."
8 And feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the prisoner, for love of Him, 9 (Saying): We feed you, for the sake of Allah only. We wish for no reward nor thanks from you;
Jâbir said, The Messenger of Allâh, peace and blessings of Allâh be on him, said: "Every good deed is charity, and it is a good deed that thou meet thy brother with a cheerful countenance and that thou pour water from thy bucket into the vessel of thy brother."
5 Let the rich satisfy the poor implorer, and bend his eye upon a longer pathway. Riches come now to one, now to another, and like the wheels of cars are ever rolling.
Whatever is given should be given with faith, not without faith,--with joy, with modesty, with fear, with kindness.
223. Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let him overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth! 224. Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.
177. The uncharitable do not go to the world of the gods; fools only do not praise liberality; a wise man rejoices in liberality, and through it becomes blessed in the other world.
2. The sage does not accumulate (for himself). The more that he expends for others, the more does he possess of his own; the more that he gives to others, the more does he have himself.
One who works for what he eats, and gives some of what he has - O Nanak, he knows the Path.
As a horse when he has run, a dog when he has tracked the game, a bee when it has made the honey, so a man when he has done a good act, does not call out for others to come and see, but he goes on to another act, as a vine goes on to produce again the grapes in season.
Every quote on this page is checked word for word against the stored text of its book.