Some people get rich by doing sinful things. They are like a partridge that hatches eggs it didn’t lay. When their lives are half over, their riches will desert them. In the end they will prove how foolish they have been.

那不按正道得财的，好像鹧鸪抱不是自己下的蛋；到了中年，那财都必离开他，他终久成为愚顽人。

那不按正道得财富的，好像鹧鸪孵不是自己生的；到了中年，财富必离开他，终久他必成为愚顽人。

那不按正道得财富的，好像鹧鸪孵不是自己生的；到了中年，财富必离开他，终久他必成为愚顽人。

谋取不义之财的人就像孵其他鸟蛋的鹧鸪，他中年便会失去不义之财，最后成了愚昧之人。

使用不公正的方法发财的，就像一只鹧鸪孵了不是自己所生的蛋；到了中年，那财富必离开他，最后他必成为一个愚昧人。

那不按正道得財的，好像鷓鴣菢不是自己下的蛋；到了中年，那財都必離開他，他終久成為愚頑人。

那不按正道得財富的，好像鷓鴣孵不是自己生的；到了中年，財富必離開他，終久他必成為愚頑人。

那不按正道得財富的，好像鷓鴣孵不是自己生的；到了中年，財富必離開他，終久他必成為愚頑人。

謀取不義之財的人就像孵其他鳥蛋的鷓鴣，他中年便會失去不義之財，最後成了愚昧之人。

使用不公正的方法發財的，就像一隻鷓鴣孵了不是自己所生的蛋；到了中年，那財富必離開他，最後他必成為一個愚昧人。

人發財、而不按正道，就像鷓鴣聚子，而不是自己下的蛋所出的，到了中年日子牠們便離開他，他終於成為愚昧人。

人得非義之財、如鷓鴣伏非己之卵、中年失之、終顯為愚、○

譬彼鷓鴣、非己之卵、覆翼而育之、亦猶得非義之利者、不終身而失之、其愚孰甚。

人得不義之財、猶若鷓鴣、覆非己生之卵、其財中年已失、終必顯為愚、○

Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay are those who gain riches by unjust means. When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them, and in the end they will prove to be fools.

Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch, so is he who gets riches but not by justice; in the midst of his days they will leave him, and at his end he will be a fool.

Like a partridge that hatches eggs she has not laid, so are those who get their wealth by unjust means. At midlife they will lose their riches; in the end, they will become poor old fools.

He who makes a fortune unjustly is like a partridge that hatches eggs it didn’t lay. In the middle of his life his riches will abandon him, so in the end he will be a fool.

As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, So is a person who makes a fortune, but unjustly; In the middle of his days it will abandon him, And in the end he will be a fool.”

“ As a partridge that broods but does not hatch, So is he who gets riches, but not by right; It will leave him in the midst of his days, And at his end he will be a fool.”

As the partridge that sitteth on eggs which she hath not laid, so is he that getteth riches, and not by right; in the midst of his days they shall leave him, and at his end he shall be a fool.

He who makes a fortune unjustly is like a partridge that hatches eggs it didn’t lay. In the middle of his days his riches will abandon him, so in the end he will be a fool.

[ As] the partridge sitteth[ on eggs], and hatcheth[ them] not;[ so] he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

The person who gathers wealth by unjust means is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.”

As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right. In the middle of his days, they will leave him. At his end, he will be a fool.

Someone might get rich by taking interest or profit from poor people. But that person only piles up wealth for someone who will be kind to poor people.

A faithful person will be richly blessed. But anyone who wants to get rich will be punished.

Those who always want more bring ruin to their households. But a person who refuses to be paid to lie will live.

“ But God said to him,‘ You foolish man! Tonight I will take your life away from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

A fortune made by people who tell lies amounts to nothing and leads to death.

“ Jehoiakim, the only thing on your mind is to get rich by cheating others. You would even kill people who are not guilty of doing anything wrong. You would mistreat them. You would take everything they own.”

I’ve seen something very evil on earth. It’s when wealth is stored up and then brings harm to its owners.It’s also when wealth is lost because of an unwise business deal. Then there won’t be anything left for the owners’ children.Everyone is born naked. They come into the world with nothing. And they go out of it with nothing. They don’t get anything from their work that they can take with them.Here’s something else that is very evil. Everyone is born, and everyone dies. And what do they get for their work? Nothing. It’s like working for the wind.

Here is what the Lord who rules over all said to his people.“ Treat everyone with justice. Show mercy and tender concern to one another.Do not take advantage of widows. Do not mistreat children whose fathers have died. Do not be mean to outsiders or poor people. Do not make evil plans against one another.”But they refused to pay attention to the Lord. They were stubborn. They turned their backs and covered their ears.They made their hearts as hard as the hardest stone. They wouldn’t listen to the law. They wouldn’t pay attention to the Lord’ s messages. So the Lord who rules over all was very angry. After all, his Spirit had spoken to his people through the earlier prophets.“ When I called, they did not listen,” says the Lord.“ So when they called, I would not listen.

How terrible it will be for those who plan to harm others! How terrible for those who make evil plans before they even get out of bed! As soon as daylight comes, they carry out their plans. That’s because they have the power to do it.If they want fields or houses, they take them. They cheat people out of their homes. They rob them of their property.

At that time I will punish all those who worship other gods. They fill the temples of their gods with lies and other harmful things.

They stare at women who are not their wives. They want to sleep with them. They never stop sinning. They trap those who are not firm in their faith. They have mastered the art of getting what they want. God has placed them under his judgment.

Money gained in the wrong way disappears. But money gathered little by little grows.

God, you will bring sinners down to the grave. Murderers and liars won’t live out even half of their lives. But I trust in you.

The Lord says,“ How terrible it will be for King Jehoiakim! He builds his palace by mistreating his people. He builds its upstairs rooms with money gained by sinning. He makes his own people work for nothing. He does not pay them for what they do.

Those who won’t share what they have want to get rich. They don’t know they are going to be poor.

“ Won’t those people laugh at the Babylonians? Won’t they make fun of them? They will say to them,“‘ How terrible it will be for you who pile up stolen goods! You get rich by cheating others. How long will this go on?’Those you owe money to will suddenly rise up. They will wake up and make you tremble with fear. Then they will take away everything you have.You have robbed many nations. So the nations that are left will rob you. You have spilled human blood. You have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.“ How terrible it will be for the Babylonians! They build their kingdom with money that they gained by cheating others. They have tried to make the kingdom as secure as possible. After all, they did not want to be destroyed.They have planned to wipe out many nations. But they have brought shame on their own kingdom. So they must pay with their own lives.The stones in the walls of their homes will cry out. And the wooden beams will echo that cry.“ How terrible it will be for the Babylonians! They build cities by spilling the blood of others. They establish towns by doing what is wrong.

The Lord who rules over all announces,‘ I will send the curse out. It will enter the house of the thief. It will also enter the house of anyone who lies when making a promise in my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely. It will pull down its beams and stones.’ ”

Your gold and silver have lost their brightness. Their dullness will be a witness against you. Your wanting more and more will eat your body like fire. You have stored up riches in these last days.You have even failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields. Their pay is crying out against you. The cries of those who gathered the harvest have reached the ears of the Lord. He rules over all.You have lived an easy life on earth. You have given yourselves everything you wanted. You have made yourselves fat like cattle that will soon be butchered.

A hunter uses tricks to fill his cage with birds. And my people have filled their houses with a lot of goods. They have become rich and powerful.They have grown fat and heavy. There is no limit to the evil things they do. In court they do not seek justice. They don’t protect the rights of children whose fathers have died. They do not stand up for poor people.

You accept money from people who want special favors. You do this to spill someone’s blood. You charge interest to poor people when you lend them money. You make money from them. You get rich by cheating your neighbors. And you have forgotten me,” announces the Lord and King.“‘ “I will clap my hands because I am so angry. You got rich by cheating others. You spilled blood inside the walls of your city.

You drive the women among my people out of their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children forever.

You sinful people, should I forget that you got your treasures by stealing them? You use dishonest measures to cheat others. I have placed a curse on that practice.Should I forgive anyone who uses dishonest scales? They use weights that weigh things heavier or lighter than they really are.The rich people among you harm others. You are always telling lies. You try to fool others by what you say.

Those who hide and wait will spill their own blood. They will be caught in their own trap.That’s what happens to everyone who goes after money in the wrong way. That kind of money takes away the life of those who get it.

“ So I will come and put you on trial. I will be quick to bring charges against all of you,” says the Lord who rules over all.“ I will bring charges against you sinful people who do not have any respect for me. That includes those who practice evil magic. It includes those who commit adultery and those who tell lies in court. It includes those who cheat workers out of their pay. It includes those who treat widows badly. It also includes those who mistreat children whose fathers have died. And it includes those who take away the rights of outsiders in the courts.

You are like a trader who uses dishonest scales. You love to cheat others.People of Ephraim, you brag,“ We are very rich. We’ve become wealthy. And no one can prove we sinned to gain all this wealth.”

They are very good at doing what is evil. Rulers require gifts. Judges accept money from people who want special favors. Those who are powerful always get what they want. All of them make evil plans together.

“ They do not know how to do what is right,” announces the Lord.“ They store up stolen goods in their forts.”

When you take even a quick look at riches, they are gone. They grow wings and fly away into the sky like an eagle.

Your rulers refuse to obey the Lord. They join forces with robbers. All of them love to accept money from those who want special favors. They are always looking for gifts from other people. They don’t stand up in court for children whose fathers have died. They don’t do it for widows either.The Lord is the Mighty One of Israel. The Lord who rules over all announces,“ Israel, you have become my enemies. I will act against you in my anger. I will pay you back for what you have done.

They must be stopped. They are making trouble for entire families. They do this by teaching things they shouldn’t. They do these things to cheat people.

“ How terrible it will be for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter. And you will not let those enter who are trying to.

These teachers are never satisfied. They want to get something out of you. So they make up stories to take advantage of you. They have been under a sentence of death for a long time. The God who will destroy them has not been sleeping.

Listen to me, you who walk all over needy people. You crush those who are poor in the land.You say,“ When will the New Moon feast be over? Then we can sell our grain. When will the Sabbath day come to an end? Then people can buy our wheat.” But you measure out less than the right amount. You raise your prices. You cheat others by using dishonest scales.You buy poor people to make slaves out of them. You buy those who are in need for a mere pair of sandals. You even sell the worthless parts of your wheat.

A ruler who is mean to his people takes money from them by force. But one who hates money gained in the wrong way will rule a long time.

People who want to get rich are tempted. They fall into a trap. They are tripped up by wanting many foolish and harmful things. Those who live like that are dragged down by what they do. They are destroyed and die.