Luke 16:3

Wycliffe Bible

And the baili seide with ynne him silf, What schal Y do, for my lord takith awei fro me the baili? delfe mai Y not, I schame to begge.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do since my master is taking the management away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig; I’m ashamed to beg.

King James Version (1611)
Then the Steward said within himselfe, What shall I doe, for my lord taketh away from mee the Stewardship? I cannot digge, to begge I am ashamed.

King James Version
Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

English Standard Version
And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

New American Standard Bible
"And the manager said to himself, 'What am I to do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg.

New Century Version
The manager thought to himself, ‘What will I do since my master is taking my job away from me? I am not strong enough to dig ditches, and I am ashamed to beg.

Amplified Bible
"The manager [of the estate] said to himself, 'What will I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig [for a living], and I am ashamed to beg.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg.

Berean Standard Bible
The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg.

Contemporary English Version
The manager said to himself, "What shall I do now that my master is going to fire me? I can't dig ditches, and I'm ashamed to beg.

Complete Jewish Bible
"‘What am I to do?' said the manager to himself. ‘My boss is firing me, I'm not strong enough to dig ditches, and I'm ashamed to go begging.

Darby Translation
And the steward said within himself, What shall I do; for my lord is taking the stewardship from me? I am not able to dig; I am ashamed to beg.

Easy-to-Read Version
"So, the manager thought to himself, ‘What will I do? My master is taking my job away from me. I am not strong enough to dig ditches. I am too proud to beg.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the stewarde saide within himselfe, What shall I doe? for my master taketh away from me the stewardship. I cannot digge, and to begge I am ashamed.

George Lamsa Translation
Then the steward said to himself, What will I do? for my lord will take away from me the stewardship? I cannot dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

Good News Translation
The servant said to himself, ‘My master is going to dismiss me from my job. What shall I do? I am not strong enough to dig ditches, and I am ashamed to beg.

Lexham English Bible
And the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, because my master is taking away the management from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg.

Literal Translation
And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, for my lord is taking away the stewardship from me? I am not able to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

American Standard Version
And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed.

Bible in Basic English
And the servant said to himself, What am I to do now that my lord takes away my position? I have not enough strength for working in the fields, and I would be shamed if I made requests for money from people in the streets.

Hebrew Names Version
"The manager said within himself, 'What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don't have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.

International Standard Version
"Then the manager said to himself, 'What should I do? My master is taking my position away from me. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg.

Etheridge Translation
And the house-chief said within himself, What shall I do ? for my lord taketh from me the house-headship. I cannot dig, and to beg I am ashamed.

Murdock Translation
And the steward said with himself: What shall I do, since my lord is about to take from me the stewardship? To dig, I am unable; and to become a beggar, I am ashamed.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The stewarde sayde within hymselfe: What shall I do, for my maister taketh away from me the stewardshyppe? I can not digge, & to begge I am ashamed.

English Revised Version
And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed.

World English Bible
"The steward said within himself, 'What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don't have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And the steward said in himself, What shall I do? For my lord taketh away the stewardship from me. I cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed.

Weymouth's New Testament
"Then the steward said within himself, "`What am I to do? For my master is taking away the stewardship from me. I am not strong enough for field labour: to beg, I should be ashamed.

Update Bible Version
And the steward said to himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord takes away the stewardship from me? I don't have strength to dig; I am ashamed to beg.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.

New English Translation
Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm too ashamed to beg.

New King James Version
"Then the steward said within himself, "What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.

New Living Translation
"The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don't have the strength to dig ditches, and I'm too proud to beg.

New Life Bible
"The boss said to himself, ‘What will I do now? The owner of the houses and lands is taking my work away from me. I cannot dig in the ground for a living. I am too proud to ask for help.

New Revised Standard
Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the steward said within himself - What shall I do, because my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? Dig, I cannot: to beg, I am ashamed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed.

Revised Standard Version
And the steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The stewarde sayd wt in him selfe: what shall I do? for my master will take awaye fro me ye stewarde shippe. I canot digge and to begge I am ashamed.

Young's Literal Translation
`And the steward said in himself, What shall I do, because my lord doth take away the stewardship from me? to dig I am not able, to beg I am ashamed: --

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The stewarde sayde within himself: What shal I do? My lorde wil take awaye the stewardshipe fro me. I ca not dygge, and to begg I am ashamed.

Mace New Testament (1729)
upon which the steward said in himself, what shall I do, now my master strips me of my employment? dig I cannot: and 'tis shameful to beg: I see it now,

THE MESSAGE
"The manager said to himself, ‘What am I going to do? I've lost my job as manager. I'm not strong enough for a laboring job, and I'm too proud to beg.... Ah, I've got a plan. Here's what I'll do... then when I'm turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.'

Simplified Cowboy Version
"The bean counter was beside himself with worry. He said to himself, 'My boss is firing me, and I don't know what to do. I'm not strong enough to be a cowboy, and I've got too much pride to beg.

Contextual Overview

¹ He seide also to hise disciplis, Ther was a riche man, that hadde a baili; and this was defamed to him, as he hadde wastid his goodis. ² And he clepide hym, and seide to hym, What here Y this thing of thee? yelde reckynyng of thi baili, for thou miyte not now be baili. ³ And the baili seide with ynne him silf, What schal Y do, for my lord takith awei fro me the baili? delfe mai Y not, I schame to begge. ⁴ Y woot what Y schal do, that whanne Y am remeued fro the baili, thei resseyue me in to her hous. ⁵ Therfor whanne alle the dettours of his lord weren clepid togider, he seide to the firste, Hou myche owist thou to my lord? ⁶ And he seide, An hundrid barelis of oyle. And he seide to hym, Take thi caucioun, and sitte soone, and write fifti. ⁷ Aftirward he seide to another, And hou myche owist thou? Which answerde, An hundrid coris of whete. And he seide to hym, Take thi lettris, and write foure scoore. ⁸ And the lord preiside the baili of wickydnesse, for he hadde do prudentli; for the sones of this world ben more prudent in her generacioun than the sones of liyt. ⁹ And Y seie to you, make ye to you freendis of the ritchesse of wickidnesse, that whanne ye schulen fayle, thei resseyue you in to euerlastynge tabernaclis. ¹⁰ He that is trewe in the leeste thing, is trewe also in the more; and he that is wickid in a litil thing, is wickid also in the more.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

said: Luke 18:4, Esther 6:6

What: Luke 12:17, Isaiah 10:3, Jeremiah 5:31, Hosea 9:5, Acts 9:6

I cannot: Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 15:19, Proverbs 18:9, Proverbs 19:15, Proverbs 21:25, Proverbs 21:26, Proverbs 24:30-34, Proverbs 26:13-16, Proverbs 27:23-27, Proverbs 29:21, 2 Thessalonians 3:11

to beg: Luke 16:20, Luke 16:22, Proverbs 20:4, Mark 10:46, John 9:8, Acts 3:2

Reciprocal: Luke 7:39 - he spake Luke 19:26 - and from

Cross-References

Genesis 16:1
Therfor Sarai, wijf of Abram, hadde not gendrid fre children; but sche hadde a seruauntesse of Egipt, Agar bi name, and seide to hir hosebonde, Lo!

Genesis 16:4
And Abram entride to Agar; and Agar seiy that sche hadde conseyued, and sche dispiside hir ladi.

Genesis 16:5
And Saray seide to Abram, Thou doist wickidli ayens me; I yaf my seruauntesse in to thi bosum, which seeth, that sche conseyuede, and dispisith me; the Lord deme betwixe me and thee.

Genesis 25:6
sotheli he yaf yiftis to the sones of concubyns; and Abraham, while he lyuede yit, departide hem fro Ysaac, his sone, to the eest coost.

Genesis 28:9
And he yede to Ismael, and weddide a wijf, with out these whiche he hadde bifore, Melech, the douyter of Ismael, sone of Abraham, the sistir of Nabaioth.

Genesis 30:4
And sche yaf to hym Bala in to matrimony;

Genesis 30:9
Lya feelide that sche ceesside to bere child, and sche yaf Selfa, hir handmayde, to the hosebonde.

Genesis 32:22
And whanne Jacob hadde arise auysseli, he took hise twei wyues, and so many seruauntessis with enleuen sones, and passide the forthe of Jaboth.

Genesis 35:22
And while he dwellide in that cuntrei, Ruben yede, and slepte with Bala, the secundarie wijf of his fadir, which thing was not hid fro hym. Forsothe the sones of Jacob weren twelue;

2 Samuel 5:13
Therfor Dauid took yit concubyns, and wyues of Jerusalem, after that he cam fro Ebron; and also othere sones and douytris weren borun to Dauid.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the steward said within himself,.... As the Scribes and Pharisees were wont to do, Matthew 3:9

what shall I do? he does not say, what will become of me? I am undone, and what shall I do to be saved? or what shall I do for my Lord and Master I have so much injured? or what shall I do to make up matters with him? or what account shall I give? but what shall I do for a maintenance? how shall I live? what shall I do to please men, and gain their opinion and good will, and so be provided for by them? of this cast were the Pharisees, men pleasers, and self-seekers:

for my Lord taketh away from me the stewardship: the priesthood was changed, and there was a change also of the law; the ceremonial law was abrogated, and the ordinances of the former dispensation were shaken and removed; so that these men must of course turn out of their places and offices:

I cannot dig; or "plough", as the Arabic version renders it; or do any part of husbandry, particularly that which lies in manuring and cultivating the earth; not but that he was able to do it; but he could not tell how to submit to such a mean, as well as laborious way of life; for nothing was meaner among the Jews than husbandry: they have a saying, that אין לך אומנות פחותה מן הקרקע, "you have no trade", or business, "lesser", or meaner "than husbandry" g:

and to beg I am ashamed; for nothing could be more disagreeable, to one who had lived so well in his master's house, and in so much fulness and luxury, as the Scribes and Pharisees did. The Jews have a saying, that h

"want of necessaries, טוב משאלתו, "is better than begging": (and says one) I have tasted the bitterness of all things, and I have not found any thing more bitter "than begging:"''

and which was literally true of the Jews, after the destruction of Jerusalem; when multitudes of them were condemned to work in the mines; and vast numbers were scattered about every where as vagabonds, begging their bread; both which were very irksome to that people: though both these phrases may be mystically understood: and "digging" may intend a laborious searching into the Scriptures, and a diligent performance of good works: neither of which the Pharisees much cared for, though they made large pretensions to both; nor did they dig deep to lay a good foundation whereon to build eternal life and happiness: nor could they attain to the law of righteousness by all their toil and labour, they would be thought to have taken: and for "begging", they were above that: read the Pharisee's prayer in

Luke 18:11 and you will not find one petition in it. To ask any thing at the throne of grace, in a way of mere grace and favour, and not merit: or to beg any thing at the hands of Christ, as life, righteousness, pardon, cleansing, healing, food, &c. they were ashamed of, and cared not for.

g T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 63. 1. h Mischar Hapeninim apud Buxtorf. Florileg, Heb. p. 262.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Said within himself - Thought, or considered.

My lord - My master, my employer.

I cannot dig - This may mean either that his employment had been such that he could not engage in agriculture, not having been acquainted with the business, or that he was “unwilling” to stoop to so low an employment as to work daily for his support. “To dig,” here, is the same as to till the earth, to work at daily labor.

To beg - These were the only two ways that presented themselves for a living - either to work for it, or to beg.

I am ashamed - He was too proud for that. Besides, he was in good health and strength, and there was no good reason “why” he should beg - nothing which he could give as a cause for it. It is proper for the sick, the lame, and the feeble to beg; but it is “not” well for the able-bodied to do it, nor is it well to aid them, except by giving them employment, and compelling them to work for a living. He does a beggar who is able to work the most real kindness who sets him to work, and, as a general rule, we should not aid an able-bodied man or woman in any other way. Set them to work, and pay them a fair compensation, and you do them good in two ways, for the habit of labor may be of more value to them than the price you pay them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 16:3. I cannot dig — He could not submit to become a common day-labourer, which was both a severe and base employment: To beg I am ashamed. And as these were the only honest ways left him to procure a morsel of bread, and he would not submit to either, he found he must continue the system of knavery, in order to provide for his idleness and luxury, or else starve. Wo to the man who gets his bread in this way! The curse of the Lord must be on his head, and on his heart; in his basket, and is his store.