Proverbs 28:16
A leader destitute of prudence will oppress many through false accusations. But whoever hates avarice shall prolong his days.
Catholic Public Domain Version
In The King James Version
In Context
15An impious leader over a poor people is like a roaring lion and a hungry bear.
17A man who slanders the blood of a life, even if he flees to the pit, no one will tolerate him.
Cross References
1 Kings 12:10And the young men who had been raised with him, said: “You shall speak in this way to this people, who have spoken to you, saying: ‘Your father weighed down our yoke. You should relieve us.’ You shall say this to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the back of my father.
Nehemiah 5:15But the former governors, the ones who had been before me, were a burden to the people, and they took from them bread and wine, and forty shekels of money each day. And their officials also oppressed the people. But I did not do so, out of fear of God.
Ecclesiastes 4:1I turned myself to other things, and I saw the false accusations which are carried out under the sun, and the tears of the innocent, and that there was no one to console them; and that they were not able to withstand their violence, being destitute of all help.
Isaiah 33:15The one who walks in justice and speaks the truth, who casts out avarice with oppression and shakes all bribes from his hands, who blocks his ears so that he may not listen to blood, and closes his eyes so that he may not see evil.
Amos 4:1Listen to this word, you fat cows that are on the mountain of Samaria, you who make false accusations against the destitute and crush the poor, who say to your nobles, “Bring, and we will drink.”
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 28:16
15 As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. It is written indeed, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people; but if he be a wicked ruler, that oppresses the people, especially the poor people, robbing them of the little they have and making a prey of them, whatever we may call him, this scripture calls him a roaring lion and a ranging bear. 1. In respect of his character. He is brutish, barbarous, and blood-thirsty; he is rather to be put among the beasts of… Read the whole commentary →