Poverty and the Poor

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How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep? Yet, a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come as one who travels, and your want like an armed man (Proverbs 6:9 - 11).

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty (Proverbs 14:23).

The rich man's wealth is his fortress, the ruin of the poor is their poverty (Proverbs 10:15).

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty (Proverbs 11:24).

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man (Proverbs 24:33 - 34).

The ransom of a man's life is his riches, but the poor does not hear rebuke (Proverbs 13:8).

Much food is in the tillage of the poor, but there is that which is destroyed for lack of judgment (Proverbs 13:23).


The Prodigal Son among the Swine
The Prodigal Son among the Swine
Albrecht Durer, 1497 - 98


He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty (Proverbs 28:19).

The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, but the rich has many friends (Proverbs 14:20).

Whoever scorns the poor reviles his Maker; he who is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished (Proverbs 17:5).

The poor man utters supplications, but the rich man answers roughly (Proverbs 18:23).

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool (Proverbs 19:1).


World's Wit and Wisdom
The poor have little, beggars none,
the rich too much, enough not one.
Benjamin Franklin, 1706 - 1790

Calamities are of two kinds.
Misfortune to ourselves and
good fortune to others.
Ambrose Bierce, 1842 - c. 1914

All the brothers of the poor man hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him? He pursues them with words, yet they are nowhere to be found (Proverbs 19:7).

A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him (Proverbs 28:22).

Wealth adds many friends, but a poor man is separated from his friend (Proverbs 19:4).

Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you shall be satisfied with bread (Proverbs 20:13).

He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered (Proverbs 21:13).

He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich (Proverbs 21:17).


World's Wit and Wisdom
Never contend with a man
who has nothing to lose.
Baltasar Gracian, 1601 - 1658

Hunger never saw bad bread.
Benjamin Franklin, 1706 - 1790

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).

The desire of a man is his kindness, and a poor man is better than a liar (Proverbs 19:22).

He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor (Proverbs 22:9).

For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and sleepiness shall clothe a man with rags (Proverbs 23:21).

Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich (Proverbs 10:4).

Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof will be honored. (Proverbs 13:18).

He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty (Proverbs 22:16).

A poor man who oppresses the lowly is like a driving rain which leaves no food (Proverbs 28:3).

Better is the poor who walks in his uprightness than he who is perverse in his ways, though he is rich (Proverbs 28:6).

The rich man is wise in his own conceit, but the poor man who has understanding will find him out (Proverbs 28:11).

The righteous considers the plea of the poor; the wicked cares not to know it (Proverbs 29:7).

The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives light to the eyes of both. If a king judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forever (Proverbs 29:13 - 14).

A king who faithfully judges the poor, his throne shall be established forever (Proverbs 29:14).

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread (Proverbs 30:8).

Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are of heavy hearts. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more (Proverbs 31:6 - 7).

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