15 The (A)rich person’s wealth is his [a]fortress,
The (B)ruin of the poor is their poverty.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:15 Lit strong city

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,(A)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.(B)

Read full chapter

24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in poverty.
25 A [a](A)generous person will be [b]prosperous,
And one who (B)gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.
26 One who withholds grain, the (C)people will curse him,
But (D)blessing will be on the head of him who (E)sells it.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:25 Lit soul of blessing
  2. Proverbs 11:25 Lit made fat

24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

25 A generous(A) person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.(B)

26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
    but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

Read full chapter

23 (A)Abundant food is in the uncultivated ground of the poor,
But [a]it is swept away by injustice.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:23 Lit there is what is swept

23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
    but injustice sweeps it away.

Read full chapter

25 The Lord will (A)tear down the house of the proud,
But He will (B)set the boundary of the (C)widow.

Read full chapter

25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,(A)
    but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.(B)

Read full chapter

One who mocks the (A)poor taunts his Maker;
One who (B)rejoices at disaster will not go unpunished.

Read full chapter

Whoever mocks the poor(A) shows contempt for their Maker;(B)
    whoever gloats over disaster(C) will not go unpunished.(D)

Read full chapter

(A)Wealth adds many friends,
But a poor person is separated from his friend.

Read full chapter

Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(A)

Read full chapter

All the brothers of a poor person hate him;
How much more do his (A)friends abandon him!
He (B)pursues them with words, but they are [a]gone.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:7 Lit not

The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!(A)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.[a](B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.

17 One who (A)is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord,
And He will repay him for his [a](B)good deed.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:17 Or benefits

17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(A)
    and he will reward them for what they have done.(B)

Read full chapter

13 One who (A)shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will also call out himself, and not be (B)answered.

Read full chapter

13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
    will also cry out(A) and not be answered.(B)

Read full chapter

One who [a]is (A)generous will be blessed,
Because he (B)gives some of his food to the poor.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:9 Lit has a good eye

The generous will themselves be blessed,(A)
    for they share their food with the poor.(B)

Read full chapter

16 One (A)who oppresses the poor to make [a]more for himself,
Or gives to the rich, (B)will only come to poverty.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:16 Lit much

16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
    and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Read full chapter

22 (A)Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Nor (B)crush the needy at the gate;
23 For the Lord will (C)plead their case
And [a]take the life of those who rob them.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:23 Lit rob the soul

Saying 2

22 Do not exploit the poor(A) because they are poor
    and do not crush the needy in court,(B)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(C)
    and will exact life for life.(D)

Read full chapter

11 (A)Rescue those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to the slaughter, Oh hold them back!
12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He (B)who weighs the hearts not (C)consider it?
And (D)does He who (E)watches over your soul not know it?
And will He not [a](F)repay a person according to his work?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:12 Lit bring back to

11 Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.(A)
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
    does not he who weighs(B) the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
    Will he not repay(C) everyone according to what they have done?(D)

Read full chapter