Proverbs 22:7 - Easy To Read Version Poor people are slaves to rich people. The person who borrows is a servant to the person who lends. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 The rich ruleth over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. American Standard Version (1901) The rich ruleth over the poor; And the borrower is servant to the lender. Common English Bible The wealthy rule over the poor; a borrower is a slave to a lender. Catholic Public Domain Version The rich rule over the poor. And the borrower is servant to the lender. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version The rich ruleth over the poor: and the borrower is servant to him that lendeth. |
A man from the group of prophets [22] had a wife. {This man died.} His wife cried out to Elisha, “My husband was like a servant to you. Now my husband is dead! You know he honored the Lord. But he owed money to a man. And now that man is coming to take my two boys and make them his slaves!”
The person that causes trouble for poor people shows that he does not respect God—God made both people. But if a person is kind to poor people, then he shows honor to God.
A poor person will beg for help, but a rich person is rude when he answers.
These two things will make you poor—hurting poor people to make yourself rich, and giving gifts to rich people.
It is easy to steal from poor people, but don’t do it. And don’t take advantage of those poor people in court.
At that time, the common people and the priests will be the same. Slaves and masters will be the same. Women slaves and their women masters will be the same. The buyers and sellers will be the same. The people that borrow and the people that lend will be the same. The bankers and the people that owe the bank will be the same.
The Lord says this: “I will definitely punish Israel for the many crimes they did. {\cf2\super [37]} Why? Because they sold good, \{innocent\} people for a little silver. They sold poor people for the price of a pair of shoes.
Listen to me, you cows of Bashan {\cf2\super [48]} on Samaria’s mountain. You hurt poor people. You crush those poor people. You tell your husbands, {\cf2\super [49]} “Bring us something to drink!”
Listen to me!\par You people walk on helpless people.\par You are trying to destroy the poor people of this country.\par
\{The poor people can’t pay their loans,\}\par so we will buy them as slaves.\par We will buy those helpless people\par for the price of a pair of shoes.\par Oh, and we can sell the wheat\par that was spilled on the floor.”\par
The servant was not able to pay the money to his master, the king. So the master ordered that everything the servant owned should be sold, even the servant’s wife and children. The money would be used to pay the king what the servant owed.
But you show no respect to the poor man. And you know that the rich people are the people who always try to control your lives. And they are the people who take you to court.
You rich people, listen! Cry and be very sad because much trouble will come to you.
People worked in your fields, but you did not pay them. Those people are crying out against you. Those people harvested your crops. Now the Lord (God) of heaven’s armies {\cf2\super [24]} has heard the things they are shouting.