Proverbs 22:16

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain and the one who gives to the rich– both end up only in poverty.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Ps 12:5 : 5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action,” says the LORD.“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.”
  • Jas 2:13 : 13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.
  • Jas 5:1-5 : 1 Warning to the Rich Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! 4 Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 5 You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
  • Job 20:19-29 : 19 For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build. 20 For he knows no satisfaction in his appetite; he does not let anything he desires escape. 21 “Nothing is left for him to devour; that is why his prosperity does not last. 22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress overtakes him. The full force of misery will come upon him. 23 “While he is filling his belly, God sends his burning anger against him, and rains down his blows upon him. 24 If he flees from an iron weapon, then an arrow from a bronze bow pierces him. 25 When he pulls it out and it comes out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver, terrors come over him. 26 Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; a fire which has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent. 27 The heavens reveal his iniquity; the earth rises up against him. 28 A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath. 29 Such is the lot God allots the wicked, and the heritage of his appointment from God.”
  • Prov 14:31 : 31 The one who oppresses the poor has insulted his Creator, but whoever honors him shows favor to the needy.
  • Prov 22:22-23 : 22 Do not exploit a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court, 23 for the LORD will plead their case and will rob the life those who are robbing them.
  • Prov 28:3 : 3 A poor person who oppresses the weak is like a driving rain without food.
  • Prov 28:22 : 22 The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.
  • Mic 2:2-3 : 2 They confiscate the fields they desire, and seize the houses they want. They defraud people of their homes, and deprive people of the land they have inherited. 3 Therefore the LORD says this:“Look, I am devising disaster for this nation! It will be like a yoke from which you cannot free your neck. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of catastrophe.
  • Zech 7:9-9 : 9 “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies said,‘Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other. 10 You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the resident foreigner, or the poor, nor should anyone secretly plot evil against his fellow citizen.’ 11 “But they refused to pay attention, turning away stubbornly and stopping their ears so they could not hear. 12 Indeed, they made their hearts as hard as diamond, so that they could not obey the Torah and the other words the LORD of Heaven’s Armies had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies had poured out great wrath. 13 “‘It then came about that just as I cried out, but they would not obey, so they will cry out, but I will not listen,’ the LORD of Heaven’s Armies had said. 14 ‘Rather, I will sweep them away in a storm into all the nations they are not familiar with.’ Thus the land had become desolate because of them, with no one crossing through or returning, for they had made the fruitful land a waste.”
  • Luke 6:33-35 : 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.
  • Luke 14:12-14 : 12 He said also to the man who had invited him,“When you host a dinner or a banquet, don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. 13 But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
  • Luke 16:24 : 24 So he called out,‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.’

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Prov 14:31
    83%

    31The one who oppresses the poor has insulted his Creator, but whoever honors him shows favor to the needy.

  • Prov 28:8
    83%

    8The one who increases his wealth by increasing interest gathers it for someone who is gracious to the needy.

  • Prov 28:3
    82%

    3A poor person who oppresses the weak is like a driving rain without food.

  • Prov 28:22
    80%

    22The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.

  • Prov 28:27
    80%

    27The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.

  • Prov 22:7-9
    3 verses
    79%

    7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

    8The one who sows iniquity will reap trouble, and the rod of his fury will end.

    9A generous person will be blessed, for he has given some of his food to the poor.

  • Prov 22:22
    79%

    22Do not exploit a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court,

  • Prov 19:17
    78%

    17The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the LORD, and the LORD will repay him for his good deed.

  • Prov 13:7-8
    2 verses
    78%

    7There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.

    8The ransom of a person’s life is his wealth, thus the poor person has never heard a threat.

  • Prov 21:13
    78%

    13The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered.

  • Prov 10:15
    78%

    15The wealth of a rich person is like a fortified city, but the poor are brought to ruin by their poverty.

  • Prov 17:5
    78%

    5The one who mocks the poor has insulted his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.

  • Prov 18:23
    77%

    23A poor person makes supplications, but a rich man answers harshly.

  • Prov 28:15-16
    2 verses
    77%

    15Like a roaring lion or a roving bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

    16The prince who is a great oppressor lacks wisdom, but the one who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

  • Job 20:19
    77%

    19For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build.

  • Prov 13:23
    77%

    23Abundant food may come from the field of the poor, but it is swept away by injustice.

  • Prov 28:6
    77%

    6A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich.

  • Prov 6:11
    77%

    11and your poverty will come like a robber, and your need like an armed man.

  • Prov 28:11
    77%

    11A rich person is wise in his own opinion, but a discerning poor person can evaluate him properly.

  • Prov 14:20-21
    2 verses
    77%

    20A poor person will be disliked even by his neighbors, but those who love the rich are many.

    21The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever is kind to the needy is blessed.

  • Prov 10:4
    76%

    4The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy.

  • Prov 11:24
    76%

    24One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.

  • Prov 29:7
    75%

    7The righteous person cares for the legal rights of the poor; the wicked does not understand such knowledge.

  • Prov 28:19-20
    2 verses
    75%

    19The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, but whoever chases daydreams will have his fill of poverty.

    20A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings, but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished.

  • Jas 2:6
    75%

    6But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?

  • Eccl 5:13
    75%

    13Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

  • Amos 8:4
    75%

    4Listen to this, you who trample the needy, and do away with the destitute in the land.

  • Prov 21:26
    75%

    26All day long he has craved greedily, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

  • Prov 24:34
    75%

    34and your poverty will come like a bandit, and your need like an armed robber.”

  • Job 5:16
    75%

    16Thus the poor have hope, and iniquity shuts its mouth.

  • Exod 23:6
    74%

    6“You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits.

  • Prov 11:28
    74%

    28The one who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

  • Prov 13:11
    74%

    11Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away, but the one who gathers it little by little will become rich.

  • Prov 19:4
    74%

    4Wealth adds many friends, but a poor person is separated from his friend.

  • Ps 62:10
    74%

    10Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!

  • Ps 41:1
    74%

    1For the music director; a psalm of David. How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, may the LORD deliver him.

  • Prov 22:17
    74%

    17The Sayings of the Wise Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my instruction.

  • Prov 21:17
    74%

    17The one who loves pleasure will be a poor person; whoever loves wine and anointing oil will not be rich.

  • Eccl 7:7
    74%

    7Human Wisdom Overturned by Adversity Surely oppression can turn a wise person into a fool; likewise, a bribe corrupts the heart.

  • Job 20:22
    74%

    22In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress overtakes him. The full force of misery will come upon him.

  • Job 36:15
    74%

    15He delivers the afflicted by their afflictions, he reveals himself to them by their suffering.

  • Isa 10:2
    73%

    2to keep the poor from getting fair treatment, and to deprive the oppressed among my people of justice, so they can steal what widows own, and loot what belongs to orphans.

  • Prov 13:18
    73%

    18The one who neglects discipline ends up in poverty and shame, but the one who accepts reproof is honored.

  • Amos 5:11
    73%

    11Therefore, because you make the poor pay taxes on their crops and exact a grain tax from them, you will not live in the houses you built with chiseled stone, nor will you drink the wine from the fine vineyards you planted.