13. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
14. His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
15. But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading.
16. The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
17. He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’
18. Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
19. And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’
20. Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
21. for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’