Amplified Bible
Proverbs 14:20
20The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many.
Proverbs 14:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
- New International Version (NIV)The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But the rich has many friends.
Context of Proverbs 14:20
18The naive [are unsophisticated and easy to exploit and] inherit foolishness, But the sensible [are thoughtful and far-sighted and] are crowned with knowledge. 19The evil will bow down before the good, And the wicked [will bow down] at the gates of the righteous. The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many. 21He who despises his neighbor sins [against God and his fellow man], But happy [blessed and favored by God] is he who is gracious and merciful to the poor. 22Do they not go astray who devise evil and wander from the way of righteousness? But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
Read all of Proverbs 14Proverbs 14:20 word by word
גַּם־לְ֭רֵעֵהוּ יִשָּׂ֣נֵא רָ֑שׁ וְאֹהֲבֵ֖י עָשִׁ֣יר רַבִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 14:20
- Proverbs 10:15The rich man’s wealth is his fortress; The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
- Proverbs 19:7All the brothers of a poor man hate him; How much more do his friends abandon him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone.
- Job 6:21Indeed, you have now become like a dried-up stream, You see a terror [believing me to be a victim of the wrath of God] and are afraid [to be compassionate].
- Job 19:13“He has put my brothers far from me, And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
- Job 30:10They hate me, they stand aloof from me, And do not refrain from spitting in my face.
- Proverbs 19:4Wealth makes many friends, But a poor man is separated from his friend.
- Esther 3:2All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate [in royal service] bowed down and honored and paid homage to Haman; for this is what the king had commanded in regard to him. But Mordecai [a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin] neither bowed down nor paid homage [to him].
- Esther 5:10Nevertheless, Haman controlled himself and went home. There he sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.
Commentaries on Proverbs 14:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20But the rich hath many friends - Many who speak to him the language of friendship; but if they profess friendship because he is rich, there is not one real friend among them. There is a fine saying of Cicero on this subject: Ut hirundines festivo tempore praesto sunt, frigore pulsae recedunt: ita falsi amici sereno tempore praesto sunt: simul atque fortunae hiemem viderint, evolant omnes - Lib. iv., ad Herenn. "They are like swallows, who fly off during…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The maxim, jarring as it is, represents the generalization of a wide experience; but the words which follow Proverbs 14:21 show that it is not to be taken by itself. In spite of all the selfish morality of mere prudence, the hearer is warned that to despise his “neighbor” (Christians must take the word in all the width given to it by the parable of the Good Samaritan) is to sin. The fullness of blessing comes on him who sees in the poor the objects of his…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20Verse 20 Friendship in the world is governed by self-interest. It is good to have God our Friend; he will not desert us.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20This proverb might advise moderation, suggesting having neither too little nor too much (Proverbs 30:7–9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. This sad but true picture of human nature is not given approvingly, but only as a fact.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 14:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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