PROVERBS CHAPTER 11.
V. 23. The desire of the righteous is only good, they want only such things as are pleasing to the Lord; but the expectation of the wicked is wrath, a presumption which challenges the wrath of God and brings destruction upon themselves.
V. 24. There is that scattereth, practicing cheerful liberality with the goods given him in life, and yet increaseth, since the blessing of the Lord more than compensates for the money spent in benevolences; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, not even giving his share for the alleviation of bodily and spiritual suffering, but it tendeth to poverty, in spite of his careful hoarding his possessions decrease, so that he saves only to poverty.
V. 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat, being rewarded with blessings from the Lord; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself, that is, God will reward with a corresponding refreshing him who refreshes and restores others by deeds of kindness.
V. 26. He that withholdeth corn, as is done to this day in the so-called dealing in “futures” and in “corners in wheat,” the people shall curse him, for such speculative manipulations raise the price of the necessities of life; but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it, not holding it for purposes of speculation, but disposing of it as there is need.
V. 27. He that diligently seeketh good procureth favor, that is, who is diligent toward all things that are good earnestly desires the favor of the Lord; but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him, he will be punished by that which he practiced.