He who tendsthe figtreewill eatits fruit,And he who caresfor his masterwill be honored.
The hard-workingfarmeroughtto be the firstto receive his shareof the crops.
Whoat any timeserves as a soldierat his ownexpense?Whoplantsa vineyardand does not eatthe fruitof it? Orwhotendsa flockand does not usethe milkof the flock?
"My veryown vineyardis at my disposal;The thousand[shekels] are for you, Solomon,And two hundredare for those who takecareof its fruit."
Nowhe who plantsand he who watersare one;but eachwill receivehis ownrewardaccordingto his ownlabor.
"Blessedare thoseslaveswhomthe masterwill findon the alertwhen he comes;trulyI sayto you, that he will girdhimself [to serve], and have them recline[at the table], and will comeup and waiton them.
"IfanyoneservesMe, he must followMe; and whereI am,thereMy servantwill be also;ifanyoneservesMe, the Fatherwill honorhim.
"And he saidto him, 'Welldone,goodslave,becauseyou have beenfaithfulin a very little thing,you are to be in authorityovertencities.'
"Blessedis that slavewhomhis masterfindssodoingwhen he comes.
Do you seea manskilledin his work?He will standbeforekings;He will not standbeforeobscuremen.
For you have been calledfor thispurpose, sinceChristalsosufferedfor you, leavingyou an examplefor you to followin His steps,
Servants,be submissiveto your masterswith allrespect,not onlyto thosewho are goodand gentle,but alsoto thosewho are unreasonable.
Slaves,in all thingsobeythosewho are your masterson earth,not with external service,as those who [merely] please men,but with sincerityof heart,fearingthe Lord.
Do you not knowthat thosewho performsacred serviceseatthe [food] of the temple,[and] thosewho attend regularlyto the altarhave their sharefrom the altar?
Whenthe angelwho was speakingto him had left,he summonedtwoof his servantsand a devoutsoldierof thosewho were his personal attendants,
"But it is not this wayamongyou, but whoeverwishesto becomegreatamongyou shall be your servant;
"Behold,I have told you in advance.
A servantwho actswiselywill ruleover a sonwho actsshamefully,And will sharein the inheritanceamongbrothers.
Behold,as the eyesof servants[look] to the handof their master,As the eyesof a maidto the handof her mistress,Soour eyes[look] to the LORDour God,UntilHe is graciousto us.
"Thereforethe LORDGodof Israeldeclares,I did indeedsaythat your houseand the houseof your fathershould walkbeforeMe forever;but nowthe LORDdeclares,'Farbe it from Me-- for those who honorMe I will honor,and those who despiseMe will be lightlyesteemed.
So Mosesarosewith Joshuahis servant,and Moseswentup to the mountainof God.
"Therefore, the leprosyof Naamanshall clingto you and to your descendantsforever."So he wentout from his presencea leper[as white] as snow.
But he wentin and stoodbeforehis master.And Elishasaidto him, "Wherehave you been, Gehazi?"And he said,"Your servantwentnowhere."
But Jehoshaphatsaid,"Is therenot a prophetof the LORDhere,that we may inquireof the LORDby him?" And oneof the kingof Israel'sservantsansweredand said,"Elishathe sonof Shaphatis here,whoused to pourwateron the handsof Elijah."
And the Lordsaid,"Whothenis the faithfuland sensiblesteward,whomhis masterwill put in chargeof his servants,to givethem their rationsat the proper time?
Do not listento Hezekiah,for thussaysthe kingof Assyria,"Makeyour peacewith me and comeout to me, and eateachof his vineand eachof his figtreeand drinkeachof the watersof his own cistern,
Ironsharpensiron,So one mansharpensanother.
As in waterface[reflects] face,Sothe heartof man[reflects] man.
Do not listento Hezekiah,'for thussaysthe kingof Assyria,Makeyour peacewith me and comeout to me, and eateachof his vineand eachof his figtreeand drinkeachof the watersof his own cistern,
So Hamantookthe robeand the horse,and arrayedMordecai,and ledhim [on horseback] through the citysquare,and proclaimedbeforehim, "Thusit shall be doneto the manwhomthe kingdesiresto honor."
