Proverbs 28:16
New International Version
A tyrannical ruler practices extortion, but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

New Living Translation
A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people, but one who hates corruption will have a long life.

English Standard Version
A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

Berean Standard Bible
A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor, but he who hates dishonest profit will prolong his days.

King James Bible
The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

New King James Version
A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

New American Standard Bible
A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding, But a person who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

NASB 1995
A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding, But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

NASB 1977
A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding, But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

Legacy Standard Bible
A leader who lacks discernment abounds in oppressions, But he who hates greedy gain will prolong his days.

Amplified Bible
A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding and common sense [and his wickedness shortens his days], But he who hates unjust gain will [be blessed and] prolong his days.

Christian Standard Bible
A leader who lacks understanding is very oppressive, but one who hates dishonest profit prolongs his life.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A leader who lacks understanding is very oppressive, but one who hates dishonest profit prolongs his life.

American Standard Version
The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor; But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Many are the griefs of the Ruler lacking a mind and whoever hates deceit prolongs his days.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A king in need of revenues is a great oppressor: but he that hates injustice shall live a long time.

Contemporary English Version
A heartless leader is a fool, but anyone who refuses to get rich by cheating others will live a long time.

Douay-Rheims Bible
A prince void of prudence shall oppress many by calumny: but he that hateth covetousness, shall prolong his days.

English Revised Version
The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A leader without understanding taxes [his people] heavily, but those who hate unjust gain will live longer.

Good News Translation
A ruler without good sense will be a cruel tyrant. One who hates dishonesty will rule a long time.

International Standard Version
A Commander-in-Chief who is a cruel oppressor lacks understanding, but whoever hates unjust gain will live longer.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor; But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

Literal Standard Version
A leader lacking understanding multiplies oppressions, | Whoever is hating dishonest gain prolongs days.

Majority Standard Bible
A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor, but he who hates dishonest profit will prolong his days.

New American Bible
The less prudent the rulers, the more oppressive their deeds. Those who hate ill-gotten gain prolong their days.

NET Bible
The prince who is a great oppressor lacks wisdom, but the one who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

New Revised Standard Version
A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor; but one who hates unjust gain will enjoy a long life.

New Heart English Bible
A prince who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but one who hates ill-gotten gain will prolong his days.

Webster's Bible Translation
The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

World English Bible
A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.

Young's Literal Translation
A leader lacking understanding multiplieth oppressions, Whoso is hating dishonest gain prolongeth days.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Boldness of the Righteous
15Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people. 16A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor, but he who hates dishonest profit will prolong his days. 17A man burdened by bloodguilt will flee into the Pit; let no one support him.…

Cross References
Ecclesiastes 10:16
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.

Isaiah 3:12
Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.


Treasury of Scripture

The prince that wants understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hates covetousness shall prolong his days.

prince

1 Kings 12:10,14
And 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…

Nehemiah 5:15
But 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.

Ecclesiastes 4:1
So 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.

he that

Exodus 18:21
Moreover 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:

Isaiah 33:15,16
He 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; …

Jeremiah 22:15-17
Shalt 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? …

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Covetousness Desire Enjoy Gain Great Hates Hateth Ill-Gotten Intelligence Judgment Lacks Life Multiplieth Oppressions Oppressor Prince Profit Prolong Ruler Sense Tyrannical Understanding Unjust Void Wanteth
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Covetousness Desire Enjoy Gain Great Hates Hateth Ill-Gotten Intelligence Judgment Lacks Life Multiplieth Oppressions Oppressor Prince Profit Prolong Ruler Sense Tyrannical Understanding Unjust Void Wanteth
Proverbs 28
1. general observations of impiety and integrity














(16) A prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor.--Thereby losing the love of his people, and at the same time impoverishing them; thus killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. He also by his misdeeds draws down upon himself God's anger in the shape of an early death. Comp. the woe pronounced upon Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 22:13, sqq.).

Verse 16. - The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor; literally, and rich in oppression. Ewald, Delitzsch, Nowack, and others take the verse, not as a statement, but as a warning addressed to the ruler, as we have so many addressed to a son, and as the author of the Book of Wisdom calls upon the judges of the earth to listen to his admonitions. They therefore render thus: "O prince, void of understanding, but rich in oppression!" The wording and accentuation of the passage confirm this view. Caher renders, "A prince that wants understanding increases his exactions." The want of intelligence makes a prince cruel and tyrannical and callous to suffering: not possessing the wisdom and prudence necessary for right government, he defrauds his subjects, treats them unjustly, and causes great misery. See the prophet's denunciation of Shallum and Jehoiakim for these very crimes (Jeremiah 22:13-19). Septuagint, "A king wanting revenues is a great oppresser (συκοφάντης)." He that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days (Proverbs 15:27). The prince addressed is thus warned that his oppressive acts will be visited upon him judicially; that only a ruler who deals with his subjects liberally and equitably can attain to old age, and that his conduct will shorten his life. An early death is reckoned as a token of God's indignation. The second hemistich Caher translates, "But he who hates lucre shall reign long." Septuagint, "He who hateth iniquity shall live a long time." (For "covetousness" (betsa), see on Proverbs 1:19.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A leader
נָגִ֗יד (nā·ḡîḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5057: A commander, civil, military, religious, honorable themes

who lacks
חֲסַ֣ר (ḥă·sar)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2638: Needy, lacking, in want of

understanding
תְּ֭בוּנוֹת (tə·ḇū·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8394: Intelligence, an argument, caprice

[is] also a great
וְרַ֥ב (wə·raḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

oppressor,
מַעֲשַׁקּ֑וֹת (ma·‘ă·šaq·qō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4642: Extortionate act

but he who hates
שֹׂ֥נֵא (śō·nê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8130: To hate

dishonest profit
בֶ֝֗צַע (ḇe·ṣa‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1215: Gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit

will prolong
יַאֲרִ֥יךְ (ya·’ă·rîḵ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 748: To be, long

[his] days.
יָמִֽים׃ (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 28:16 A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 28:15
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