For the wickedboastsof his heart'sdesire,And the greedymancurses[and] spurnsthe LORD.
and musteran armylike the armythat you have lost,horsefor horse,and chariotfor chariot.Then we will fightagainstthem in the plain,and surelywe will be strongerthanthey." And he listenedto their voiceand didso.
"IfI have putmy confidence[in] gold,And calledfinegoldmy trust,
They openedtheir mouthwideagainstme; They said,"Aha,aha,our eyeshave seenit!"
Thoughwhile he liveshe congratulateshimself--And though [men] praiseyou whenyou dowellfor yourself--
Even those who trustin their wealthAnd boastin the abundanceof their riches?
You destroythose who speakfalsehood;The LORDabhorsthe manof bloodshedand deceit.
Whydo you boastin evil,O mightyman?The lovingkindnessof God[endures] alldaylong.
They pourforth[words], they speakarrogantly;Allwho dowickednessvauntthemselves.
"The enemysaid,'I will pursue,I will overtake,I will dividethe spoil;My desireshall be gratifiedagainst them; I will drawout my sword,my handwill destroythem.'
Those who forsakethe lawpraisethe wicked,But those who keepthe lawstrivewith them.
I have seeneverythingduring my lifetimeof futility;thereis a righteousmanwho perishesin his righteousnessand thereis a wickedmanwho prolongs[his life] in his wickedness.
"Whomhave you reproachedand blasphemed?And againstwhomhave you raised[your] voiceAnd haughtilyliftedup your eyes?Againstthe HolyOneof Israel!
"Because of the iniquityof his unjustgainI was angryand struckhim; I hid[My face] and was angry,And he wenton turningaway,in the wayof his heart.
"But your eyesand your heartAre [intent] onlyupon your own dishonestgain,And on sheddinginnocentbloodAnd on practicingoppressionand extortion."
I then will destroyyour highplaces,and cutdownyour incensealtars,and heapyour remainson the remainsof your idols,for My soulshall abhoryou.
"Woeto him who getsevilgainfor his houseTo puthis neston high,To be deliveredfrom the handof calamity!
ThenHe saidto them, "Beware,and be on your guardagainstevery formof greed;for not [even] whenonehas an abundancedoes his lifeconsistof his possessions."
And I will sayto my soul,"Soul,you havemanygoodslaidup for manyyears[to come]; take your ease,eat,drink[and] be merry."'
being filledwith allunrighteousness,wickedness,greed,evil;fullof envy,murder,strife,deceit,malice;[they are] gossips,
and although they knowthe ordinanceof God,that thosewho practicesuch thingsare worthyof death,they not onlydothe same,but alsogive hearty approvalto thosewho practicethem.
northieves,nor[the] covetous,nordrunkards,norrevilers,norswindlers,will inheritthe kingdomof God.
For thisyou knowwith certainty,that noimmoralorimpure personorcovetous man,whois an idolater,hasan inheritancein the kingdomof Christand God.
"It shall be when he hearsthe wordsof thiscurse,that he will boast,saying,'I havepeacethoughI walkin the stubbornnessof my heartin orderto destroythe watered[land] with the dry.'
"The LORDsaw[this], and spurned[them] Becauseof the provocationof His sonsand daughters.
Thereforeconsiderthe membersof your earthlybody as deadto immorality,impurity,passion,evildesire,and greed,whichamountsto idolatry.
Comenow,you who say,"Todayortomorrowwe will goto such and sucha city,and spenda yearthereand engage in businessand makea profit."
But as it is, you boastin your arrogance;allsuchboastingis evil.
Do not lovethe worldnorthe things in the world.Ifanyonelovesthe world,the loveof the Fatheris not in him.
He saidto his mother,"The elevenhundred[pieces] of silverwhichwere takenfrom you, about which you uttereda cursein my hearing,behold,the silveris with me; I tookit." And his mothersaid,"Blessedbe my sonby the LORD."
Saulsaid,"May you be blessedof the LORD,for you have hadcompassionon me.
