Commerce Breeds Sin
Chapter 26
29A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing,
nor is a tradesman innocent of sin.
Chapter 27
1Many have committed sin for gain,
and those who seek to get rich will avert their eyes.
2As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones,
so sin is wedged in between selling and buying.
3If a person is not steadfast in the fear of the Lord,
his house will be quickly overthrown.
Translation from the New Revised Standard Version.
Credits
New Revised Standard Version Bible copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
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Related Guide
Economics, Labor, and Charity in Ancient Judaism
4th Century BCE–6th Century CE
Jewish texts from late antiquity on labor, wealth, and poverty reflect a shift from the agrarian economy of the Bible to a more urban system of commerce.
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