832 verses about Poverty

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

Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

He who is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it, but he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.

There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

People curse someone who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.

Better is he who is little know, and has a servant, than he who honors himself, and lacks bread.

He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

The slothful man doesn’t roast his game, but the possessions of diligent men are prized.

The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.

Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away, but he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline, but he who heeds correction shall be honored.

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

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbor, but the rich person has many friends.

He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who has pity on the poor.

In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.

In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but the income of the wicked brings trouble.

Better is little, with the fear of Yahweh, than great treasure with trouble.

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

Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.

It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.

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

The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.

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

Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

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.

Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

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

That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won’t be blessed in the end.

The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.

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

He who loves pleasure shall be a poor man. He who loves wine and oil shall not be rich.

There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swallows it up.

The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

The rich and the poor have this in common: Yahweh is the maker of them all.

The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender.

He who has a generous eye will be blessed; for he shares his food with the poor.

Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

Don’t exploit the poor, because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;

for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them.

Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.

If you don’t have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?

Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless:

for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;

so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.

The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.

A needy man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no crops.

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.

He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.

The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.

As a roaring lion or a charging bear, so is a wicked ruler over helpless people.

One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

To show partiality is not good; yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn’t know that poverty waits for him.

Whoever robs his father or his mother, and says, “It’s not wrong.” He is a partner with a destroyer.

One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.

The righteous care about justice for the poor. The wicked aren’t concerned about knowledge.

The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: Yahweh gives sight to the eyes of both.

The king who fairly judges the poor, his throne shall be established forever.

Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;

lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

For a servant when he is king; a fool when he is filled with food;

lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul:

Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”

She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.

Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.

For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.

Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They don’t judge the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.