¹⁵ A rich person’s wealth is his strong city.
Poverty is the ruin of poor people.

²⁰ A poor person is hated even by his neighbor,
but those who love a rich person are many.

²³ A poor man pleads for mercy,
but a rich man answers harshly.

⁴ Wealth adds many friends,
but a poor person is deserted by his friend.

⁷ A poor person’s brothers all hate him.
Even his friends keep their distance from him!
Though he pursues them with words, they are not there.

¹⁷ A person who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord.
He will repay him in full.

²² A desirable trait in a person is loyalty.^[a]
It is better to be poor than a liar.

¹³ Whoever shuts his ear to the cries of the poor—
he too will cry out and not be answered.

² Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the maker of them all.