"If I have made gold my hope, Or said to fine gold, '[You are] my confidence';

If I have rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, And because my hand had gained much;

Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches,

"Here is the man [who] did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, [And] strengthened himself in his wickedness."

Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set [your] heart [on them.]

"whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, 'Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich'; and their shepherds do not pity them.

'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, [and] be merry." '

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a [means of] gain. From such withdraw yourself.

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

"Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' -- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked --

"then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.'

For he says: "By the strength of my hand I have done [it,] And by my wisdom, for I am prudent; Also I have removed the boundaries of the people, And have robbed their treasuries; So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant [man.]

My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people, And as one gathers eggs [that are] left, I have gathered all the earth; And there was no one who moved [his] wing, Nor opened [his] mouth with even a peep."

Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their dragnet; Because by them their share [is] sumptuous And their food plentiful.

" Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, [He is] a proud man, And he does not stay at home. Because he enlarges his desire as hell, And he [is] like death, and cannot be satisfied, He gathers to himself all nations And heaps up for himself all peoples.

" Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, 'Woe to him who increases [What] is not his -- how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges'?

[There is] a generation [that is] pure in its own eyes, [Yet] is not washed from its filthiness.

This [is] the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, "I have done no wickedness."

"How can you say, 'I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals'? See your way in the valley; Know what you have done: [You are] a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways,

Yet you say, 'Because I am innocent, Surely His anger shall turn from me.' Behold, I will plead My case against you, Because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

You have wearied the LORD with your words; Yet you say, "In what way have we wearied [Him?"] In that you say, "Everyone who does evil [Is] good in the sight of the LORD, And He delights in them," Or, "Where [is] the God of justice?"

" Your words have been harsh against Me," Says the LORD, "Yet you say, 'What have we spoken against You?'

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.