English Standard Version
Proverbs 10:15
15A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
Proverbs 10:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
- New International Version (NIV)The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The rich man’s wealth is his strong city; The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.
Context of Proverbs 10:15
13On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. 14The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin. 16The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. 17Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
Read all of Proverbs 10Proverbs 10:15 word by word
ה֣וֹן עָ֭שִׁיר קִרְיַ֣ת עֻזּ֑וֹ מְחִתַּ֖ת דַּלִּ֣ים רֵישָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 10:15
- Proverbs 18:11A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.
- Job 31:24"If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence,
- Psalms 49:6those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
- Psalms 52:7"See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!"
- Ecclesiastes 7:12For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
- Jeremiah 9:23Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,
- Mark 10:24And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!
- Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry."'
- 1 Timothy 6:17As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
- Proverbs 14:20The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.
- Proverbs 19:7All a poor man's brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
- Proverbs 22:22Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate,
- Micah 2:1Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Commentaries on Proverbs 10:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15The rich man's wealth is his strong city - Behold a mystery in providence; there is not a rich man on earth but becomes such by means of the poor! Property comes from the labor of the poor, and the king himself is served of the field. How unjust, diabolically so, is it to despise or oppress those by whose labor all property is acquired! The destruction of the poor is their poverty - A man in abject poverty never arises out of this pit. They have no…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Destruction - That which crushes, throws into ruins. Wealth secures its possessors against many dangers; poverty exposes men to worse evils than itself, meanness, servility, and cowardice. Below the surface there lies, it may be, a grave irony against the rich; see Proverbs 18:11.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15Verse 15 This refers to the common mistakes both of rich and poor, as to their outward condition. Rich people's wealth exposes them to many dangers; while a poor man may live comfortably, if he is content, keeps a good conscience, and lives by faith.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15While wealth can protect against problems, it can also cause them (Proverbs 13:8) and give a false sense of security (Proverbs 18:10–11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Both by trusting in "uncertain riches" (1Ti 6:17), or by the evils of poverty (Pr 30:9), men, not fearing God, fall into dangers.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 10:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 10
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries