King James Version

Proverbs 22:16

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

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Hebrew

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עֹ֣שֵֽׁקosheqdefraudעָשַׁקverb, qal, participle, absolute — “defraud”, a verb used as a describing wordH6231to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflowget deceitfully, deceive, defraud, drink up, (use) oppress(-ion), -or), do violence (wrong).דָּ֭לdalleanדַּלadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “lean”, the ordinary formH1800properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or thinlean, needy, poor (man), weaker.לְהַרְבּ֣וֹתleharbotto increaseרָבָהpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “to increase”, the to-form of the verbH7235to increase (in whatever respect)(bring in) abundance ([idiom] -antly), [phrase] archer (by mistake for H7232 (רָבַב)), be in authority, bring up, [idiom] continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, [idiom] -ness), grow up, heap, incre…ל֑וֹlvotoל֑וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toנֹתֵ֥ןnotengiveנָתַןverb, qal, participle, absolute — “give”, a verb used as a describing wordH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…לְ֝עָשִׁ֗ירleashirto richעָשִׁירpreposition, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “to rich”, the ordinary formH6223rich, whether literal or figurative (noble)rich (man).אַךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).לְמַחְסֽוֹרlemachsorto lackמַחְסוֹרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to lack”, the ordinary formH4270deficiency; hence, impoverishmentlack, need, penury, poor, poverty, want.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

One may oppress the poor, yet will their gain increase; one may give to the rich, yet will want come.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his gain , And he that giveth to the rich, shall come only to want.

Young’s Literal Translation

He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.

World English Bible

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

Darby Translation

He that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] only to want.

Douay-Rheims

He that oppresseth the poor, to increase his own riches, shall himself give to one that is richer, and shall be in need.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

One may oppress the poor, yet will their gain increase; one may give to the rich, yet will want come.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

He that oppresses the poor, increases his own substance, yet gives to the rich so as to make it less.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὁ συκοφαντῶν πένητα, πολλὰ ποιεῖ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, δίδωσι δὲ πλουσίῳ ἐπʼ ἐλάσσονι.