The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
Parallel translations
- WEB A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.
- BSB A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor, but he who hates dishonest profit will 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 18:21Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
- Neh 5:15But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- 1 Kgs 12:10And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
- Jer 22:15–17Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?
- Isa 3:12As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
- Eccl 4:1So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
- 1 Kgs 12:14And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
- Isa 33:15–16He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
- Amos 4:1Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.