New Living Translation
Proverbs 10:15
15The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The rich man’s wealth is his strong city; The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
Context of Proverbs 10:15
13Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod. 14Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster. The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction. 16The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin. 17People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go 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 18:11The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.
- Job 31:24“Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold?
- Psalms 49:6They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.
- Psalms 52:7“Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.”
- Ecclesiastes 7:12Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.
- Jeremiah 9:23This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.
- Mark 10:24This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God.
- Luke 12:19And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- 1 Timothy 6:17Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
- Proverbs 14:20The poor are despised even by their neighbors, while the rich have many “friends.”
- Proverbs 19:7The relatives of the poor despise them; how much more will their friends avoid them! Though the poor plead with them, their friends are gone.
- Proverbs 22:22Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court.
- Micah 2:1What sorrow awaits you who lie awake at night, thinking up evil plans. You rise at dawn and hurry to carry them out, simply because you have the power to do so.
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
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