A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.
Parallel translations
- KJV The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his 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 you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
- Neh 5:15But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people; but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
- 1 Kgs 12:10The young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Tell these people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;’ tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.
- Jer 22:15–17“Shall you reign, because you strive to excel in cedar? Didn’t your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.
- Isa 3:12As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.
- Eccl 4:1Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who 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 spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”
- Isa 33:15–16He who walks righteously, and speaks blamelessly; He who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil —
- Amos 4:1Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husbands, “Bring us drinks!”
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.