Json reader

/**
Файл уже в формате json
*/
public static Map<String, String> loadProp(File payFile) {
        String text = null;
        try {
            byte[] encoded = Files.readAllBytes(Paths.get(payFile.toURI()));
            text = new String(encoded);
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            LOGGER.error(ex.getMessage(), ex);
        }
        return JsonHelper.jsonToMapStringString(text);
    }

class JsonHelper {
    private static final Gson gson = new GsonBuilder().disableHtmlEscaping().create();
    private static final Type TT_mapStringString = new TypeToken<Map<String,String>>(){}.getType();

    static Map<String, String> jsonToMapStringString(String json) {
        Map<String, String> ret = new HashMap<String, String>();
        if (json == null || json.isEmpty())
            return ret;
         return gson.fromJson(json, TT_mapStringString);
    }

    static String mapStringStringToJson(Map<String, String> map) {
        if (map == null)
            map = new HashMap<String, String>();
         return gson.toJson(map);
    }
}