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15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city.
    The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

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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 There is one who scatters, and increases yet more.
    There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.
25 The liberal soul shall be made fat.
    He who waters shall be watered also himself.
26 People curse someone who withholds grain,
    but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

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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 An abundance of food is in poor people’s fields,
    but injustice sweeps it away.

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

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25 Yahweh will uproot the house of the proud,
    but he will keep the widow’s borders intact.

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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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Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker.
    He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

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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 adds many friends,
    but the poor is separated from his friend.

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

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All the relatives of the poor shun him:
    how much more do his friends avoid him!
    He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone.

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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 He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh;
    he will reward him.

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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 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor,
    he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.

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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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He who has a generous eye will be blessed;
    for he shares his 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 Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich,
    both come to poverty.

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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 Don’t exploit the poor, because he is poor;
    and don’t crush the needy in court;
23 for Yahweh will plead their case,
    and plunder the life of those who plunder 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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