The wicked flee when no man pursueth;
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof;
But by {Or, a man}men of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
A needy man that oppresseth the poor
Is like a sweeping rain {Hebrew: without food.}which leaveth no food.
They that forsake the law praise the wicked;
But such as keep the law contend with them.
Evil men understand not justice;
But they that seek Jehovah understand all things.
Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity,
Than he that is {Hebrew: perverse of two ways.}perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son;
But he that is a companion of gluttons shameth his father.
He that augmenteth his substance by interest and increase,
Gathereth it for him that hath pity on the poor.
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.
Whoso causeth the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He shall fall himself into his own pit;
But the perfect shall inherit good.
The rich man is wise in {Hebrew: his own eyes.}his own conceit;
But the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
When the righteous triumph, there is great glory;
But when the wicked rise, men {Hebrew: must be searched for.}hide themselves.
He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper:
But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy.
Happy is the man that feareth alway;
But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into {Or, calamity}mischief.
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear,
So is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
{Or, O prince that lackest understanding and art a great oppressor, He &c.}The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor;
But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
A man that is laden with the blood of any person
Shall flee unto the pit; let no man stay him.
Whoso walketh uprightly shall be delivered;
But {Or, he that walketh perversely in two ways}he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread;
But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
A faithful man shall abound with blessings;
But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished.
To have respect of persons is not good;
{Or, For for a piece of bread a man will transgress}Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.
He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches,
And knoweth not that want shall come upon him.
He that rebuketh a man shall afterward find more favor
Than he that flattereth with the tongue.
Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression,
The same is the companion of a destroyer.
He that is of a greedy spirit stirreth up strife;
But he that putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be made fat.
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool;
But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack;
But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Querverweise zu Sprüche 28,20 Spr 28,20
Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness;But a faithful man who can find?
He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches,And knoweth not that want shall come upon him.
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker;And he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished;But he that gathereth {Hebrew: with the hand.}by labor shall have increase.
that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the castle, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning;But the end thereof shall not be blessed.
Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me:He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall minister unto me.
Weary not thyself to be rich;Cease {Or, by reason of thine own understanding}from thine own wisdom.
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:He is gracious, and merciful, and righteous.
Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously and lendeth;He shall maintain his cause in judgment.
For he shall never be moved;The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:His heart is fixed, trusting in Jehovah.
His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,Until he see his desire upon his adversaries.
He hath dispersed, he hath given to the needy;His righteousness endureth for ever:His horn shall be exalted with honor.
But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Jehovah liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.
And Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
And when he came to the {Hebrew: Ophel.}hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed.
But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
And he said unto him, {Or, My heart went not from me, when &c.}Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants?
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
And the Lord said, Who then is {Or, the faithful steward, the wise man whom &c.}the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?
But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition.
And he said also unto the disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods.
For the love of money is a root of all {Or, evils.}kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is {Some ancient authorities read your own.}your own?
Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be {Or, examined}judged of you, or of man's {Greek: day. See chapter 3:13.}judgment: yea, I {Or, examine}judge not mine own self.
For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that {Or, examineth}judgeth me is the Lord.
Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.
Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; {Some ancient authorities read and may have.}and ye shall have {Greek: a tribulation of ten days.}tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days {The Greek text here is somewhat uncertain.}of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth.