Proverbs 21:13

New English Translation

¹³The one who shuts his ears^[a] to the cry^[b] of the poor,
he too will cry out and will not be answered.^[c]

Proverbs 21:13 sn The imagery means “pay no attention to” the cry for help or “refuse to help,” so it is a metonymy of cause for the effect.
Proverbs 21:13 sn “Cry” here would be a metonymy of effect for the cause, the cause being the great needs of the poor.
Proverbs 21:13 sn The proverb is teaching that those who show mercy will receive mercy. It involves the principle of talionic justice—those who refuse the needs of others will themselves be refused when they need help (so Luke 16:19-31).

Proverbs 21:13

Legacy Standard Bible

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

²⁶All day long he has craved greedily,^[a]
but the righteous person gives and does not hold back.^[b]

Proverbs 21:26 tn The construction uses the Hitpael perfect tense הִתְאַוָּה (hitʾavvah) followed by the cognate accusative תַאֲוָה (taʾavah). While the Piel verb means “to desire, wish for,” the reflexive meaning of the Hitpael appears to mean to encourage or build one’s desire. An English idiom might be to fan the flames of desire. It is not inherently immoral (the king will build desire for his bride in Ps 45:11) but often more often refers to a greedy craving or lust. This verse has been placed with the preceding because of the lexical connection with “desire/craving.”
Proverbs 21:26 sn The additional clause, “and does not hold back,” emphasizes that when the righteous gives he gives freely, without fearing that his generosity will bring him to poverty. This is the contrast with the one who is self-indulgent and craves for more.

²⁶All day long he ^[a]is insatiably craving,
While the righteous ^(A)gives and does not hold back.

New English Translation (NET)

Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

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