He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.
- BSB He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.
- NKJV He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.
- NASB One who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
- NLT Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Those who trust in riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves. Misplaced trust in wealth fails, while trust in God brings life.
Overview
The proverb contrasts the collapse of those who rely on riches with the vibrant, leafy flourishing of the righteous. It exposes the instability of wealth as an object of trust. Jesus likewise warned against serving money and called His followers to trust God, who alone makes the soul flourish.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 1 Tim 6:17Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
- Jer 17:8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
- Ps 52:7–8Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
- Ps 1:3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
- Ps 92:12–14The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
- Ps 62:10Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
- Mark 10:24–25And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
- Prov 10:15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
- Job 31:24–25If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
- Ps 49:6They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
- Isa 60:21Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
- Deut 8:12–14Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
- Luke 12:20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 11:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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