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15 The wealth of the rich is their powerful fortress;
    the poverty of the poor reduces them to rubble.

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

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24 One shares liberally and yet gains even more,
    while another hoards more than is right and still has need.
25 A giving person will receive much in return,
    and someone who gives water will also receive the water he needs.

Generosity places God’s gifts and blessings into circulation. The principle is simply stated: by giving we receive. This may seem counterintuitive, but it is how God’s economy works. As Jesus said, “Don’t hold back—give freely, and you’ll have plenty poured back into your lap—a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, brimming over. You’ll receive in the same measure you give” (Luke 6:38).

26 Curses fall upon those who hoard food,
    but blessings come to those who sell food.

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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.

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23 Though the fields of the poor yield a bumper crop
    in a land without justice, it is stolen out from under them.

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

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25 The Eternal splinters the house of the haughty,
    but He secures the property of widows.

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

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Anyone who makes fun of the poor disparages his Maker,
    and those who celebrate another’s misfortune will not escape certain punishment.

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

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Wealth attracts many friends,
    but the poor are soon separated from theirs.

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

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If a poor man is hated by his relatives,
    it is even more likely his friends will avoid him too!
Anyone who is calling after them
    [is not to be found].[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 19:7 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

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)

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Footnotes

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

17 Whoever cares for the poor makes a loan to the Eternal;
    such kindness will be repaid in full and with interest.

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

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13 If you ignore the groans of the poor,
    one day your own cries for help will go unanswered.

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

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Generous people are genuinely blessed
    because they share their food with the poor.

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

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16 If you take advantage of the poor or coddle the rich to get ahead,
    you will end up destitute.

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

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22 Do not cheat poor people just because they are vulnerable
    or use shady tactics in court to crush those already suffering;
23 For the Eternal is ready to take their case,
    and He ruins anyone who is out to ruin them.

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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)

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11 Rescue everyone you can of those being taken away and killed,
    and hold on to those innocent souls staggering toward their own slaughter.
12 If you excuse yourself, saying, “Look, we didn’t know anything about this,”
    doesn’t God, who knows what you are really thinking, understand your motives?
Isn’t your Protector aware of why you aren’t protecting the innocent?
    Will He not repay you in kind?

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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)

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