"Otherwise, you may sayin your heart,'My powerand the strengthof my handmademe thiswealth.'
IfI have gloatedbecausemy wealthwas great,And becausemy handhad secured[so] much;
For by their own swordthey did not possessthe land,And their own armdid not savethem, But Your righthandand Your armand the lightof Your presence,For You favoredthem.
A timeto searchand a timeto giveup as lost;A timeto keepand a timeto throwaway.
I againsawunderthe sunthat the raceis not to the swiftand the battleis not to the warriors,and neitheris breadto the wisenorwealthto the discerningnorfavorto men of ability;for timeand chanceovertakethem all.
Speak,"Thussaysthe LORD,'The corpsesof menwill falllike dungon the openfield,And like the sheafafterthe reaper,But noonewill gather[them].'"
"By your greatwisdom,by your tradeYou have increasedyour richesAnd your heartis liftedup because of your riches--
Therefore,O king,may my advicebe pleasingto you: breakawaynow from your sinsby [doing] righteousnessand from your iniquitiesby showingmercyto [the] poor,in casethere may be a prolongingof your prosperity.'
"The kingreflectedand said,'Is thisnot Babylonthe great,whichI myselfhave builtas a royalresidenceby the mightof my powerand for the gloryof my majesty?'
And Ephraimsaid,"SurelyI have becomerich,I have foundwealthfor myself; In allmy laborsthey will findin me Noiniquity,which[would be] sin."
Thereforethey offera sacrificeto their netAnd burnincenseto their fishingnet;Becausethrough thesethingstheir catchis large,And their foodis plentiful.
For whoregards you as superior?Whatdo you havethat you did not receive?And ifyou did receiveit, whydo you boastas ifyou had not receivedit?
"Ifyou should sayin your heart,'Thesenationsare greaterthanI; howcanI dispossessthem?'
"Do not sayin your heartwhen the LORDyour Godhas driventhem out beforeyou, 'Because of my righteousnessthe LORDhas broughtme in to possessthisland,'but [it is] because of the wickednessof thesenations[that] the LORDis dispossessingthem beforeyou.
The LORDsaidto Gideon,"The peoplewhoare with you are toomanyfor Me to giveMidianinto their hands,for Israelwould becomeboastful,saying,My own powerhas deliveredme.'
"The LORDmakespoorand rich;He bringslow,He alsoexalts.
Then Davidsaid,"You must not doso,my brothers,with whatthe LORDhas givenus, who has keptus and deliveredinto our handthe bandthat cameagainstus.
