¹⁶ Behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even: now the man was of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.

²³ Man goes forth to his work, To his labor until the evening.

¹ It happened in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.

¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat."

¹¹ and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we charged you;

¹² that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.

²⁸ Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.

¹² The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

¹³ I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

²⁷ Prepare your work outside, And get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

²³ In all hard work there is profit, But the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

¹¹ Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, But he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

² For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you.

¹⁴ So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near to Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.

¹⁹ By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return."