A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor, but he who hates dishonest profit will prolong his days.
Parallel translations
- WEB A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.
- KJV The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
- NKJV A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
- NASB A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding, But a person who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
- NLT A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people, but one who hates corruption will have a long life.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A ruler who lacks understanding becomes oppressive, while one who hates dishonest gain endures. It links wise integrity in leaders to lasting blessing.
Overview
The proverb teaches that a ruler devoid of judgment turns to oppression and extortion, but the leader who rejects ill-gotten gain will enjoy long life. Justice and integrity sustain authority, while greed destroys it. This anticipates the perfectly just and incorruptible reign of Christ, whose throne is established forever in righteousness (Hebrews 1:8).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Exod 18:21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- Neh 5:15The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.
- 1 Kgs 12:10The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!
- Jer 22:15–17Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him.
- Isa 3:12Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.
- Eccl 4:1Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
- 1 Kgs 12:14and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”
- Isa 33:15–16He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—
- Amos 4:1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring us more to drink.”
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 28:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.