He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
The saying stands within the gathering of Solomonic proverbs in chapters 25-29 linked with Hezekiah, assembled about three hundred years after Solomon. To build up one's substance by usury is to build it up by unjust or wrongful gain. To charge more for goods because there is no competition, to demand more than would be asked under fair competition, is that kind of unjust gain.
Wealth enlarged by usury and unjust gain will in the end pass over and be gathered in by one who will pity the poor. That same transfer is the gathering of such wealth by one who shows pity to the poor. What is taken in this way will not stay securely with the taker.
One who heaps up riches by wrongful means may labor and scheme only to forfeit the benefit of those riches, and that makes such heaping up foolish. The saying belongs with the danger of growing rich and despising the poor.
The saying stands within the gathering of Solomonic proverbs in chapters 25-29 linked with Hezekiah, assembled about three hundred years after Solomon. To build up one's substance by usury is to build it up by unjust or wrongful gain. To charge more for goods because there is no competition, to demand more than would be asked under fair competition, is that kind of unjust gain.
Wealth enlarged by usury and unjust gain will in the end pass over and be gathered in by one who will pity the poor. That same transfer is the gathering of such wealth by one who shows pity to the poor. What is taken in this way will not stay securely with the taker.
One who heaps up riches by wrongful means may labor and scheme only to forfeit the benefit of those riches, and that makes such heaping up foolish. The saying belongs with the danger of growing rich and despising the poor.