Then behold,an oldmanwas comingout of the fieldfrom his workat evening.Now the manwas from the hillcountryof Ephraim,and he was stayingin Gibeah,but the menof the placewere Benjamites.
By the sweatof your faceYou will eatbread,Tillyou returnto the ground,Becausefrom it you were taken;For you are dust,And to dustyou shall return."
Mangoesforthto his workAnd to his laboruntilevening.
Whenyou shall eatof the fruitof your hands,You will be happyand it will be wellwith you.
Wealth[obtained] by frauddwindles,But the one who gathersby laborincreases[it].
In alllaborthere is profit,But meretalk[leads] onlyto poverty.
Prepareyour workoutsideAnd makeit readyfor yourself in the field;Afterwards,then, buildyour house.
And I setmy mindto seekand exploreby wisdomconcerningallthat has been doneunderheaven.[It] is a grievoustask[which] Godhas givento the sonsof mento be afflictedwith.
The sleepof the workingman is pleasant,whetherhe eatslittleor much;but the fullstomachof the richmandoes not allowhim to sleep.
They have gonedeepin depravityAs in the daysof Gibeah;He will remembertheir iniquity,He will punishtheir sins.
He who stealsmust stealno longer;but ratherhe must labor,performingwith his ownhandswhat is good,sothat he will have[something] to sharewith onewho hasneed.
For evenwhenwe were with you, we used to giveyou thisorder:ifanyoneis not willingto work,thenhe is not to eat,either.
Now it cameabout in thosedays,when therewas nokingin Israel,that there was a certainLevitestayingin the remotepartof the hillcountryof Ephraim,who tooka concubinefor himself from Bethlehemin Judah.
So they passedalongand wenttheir way, and the sunseton them nearGibeahwhichbelongs to Benjamin.
They turnedasidetherein order to enter[and] lodgein Gibeah.When they entered,they satdownin the opensquareof the city,for noonetookthem into [his] houseto spendthe night.
And he liftedup his eyesand sawthe travelerin the opensquareof the city;and the oldmansaid,"Whereare you going,and wheredo you comefrom?"
