For I feared you, because you are an austere man: you take up that you layed not down, and reap that you did not sow.
For I feared you, because you are an austere man: you take up that you layed not down, and reap that you did not sow.
for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which thou layedst not down, and reapest that which thou didst not sow.
Because I was in fear of you, for you are a hard man: you take up what you have not put down, and get in grain where you have not put seed.
For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou layedst not down, and reapest what thou didst not sow.
for I feared you, because you are an exacting man. You take up that which you didn't lay down, and reap that which you didn't sow.'
for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
An austere man - Hard, severe, oppressive. The word is commonly applied to unripe fruit, and means "sour," unpleasant; harsh. In this case it means that the man was taking every advantage, and, while "he" lived in idleness, was making his living out of the toils of others.
Thou takest up ... - Thou dost exact of others what thou didst not give. The phrase is applied to a man who "finds" what has been lost by another, and keeps it himself, and refuses to return it to the owner. All this is designed to show the sinner's view of God. He regards him as unjust, demanding more than man has "power" to render, and more, therefore, than God has a "right" to demand. See the notes at Matthew 25:24.