It is better to be humble in spirit with the needy Than to divide the spoils with the proud.
Parallel translations
- WEB It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.
- KJV Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
- BSB It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.
- NKJV Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
- NLT Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.
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
It is better to be humble among the poor than to share spoil with the proud. It matters because lowliness with the godly outweighs the gains of arrogant company.
Overview
Following the warning against pride, this proverb commends a lowly spirit among the poor over dividing plunder with the proud. Humble association with the meek is of greater worth than prideful prosperity. It reflects the Beatitude blessing on the poor in spirit and meek (Matthew 5:3-5).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 5:3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Isa 57:15For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
- Ps 138:6For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but the proud, he knows from afar.
- Exod 15:9The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
- Ps 34:18Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
- Isa 9:3You have multiplied the nation. You have increased their joy. They rejoice before you according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the plunder.
- Isa 53:12Therefore will I give him a portion with the great, and he will divide the plunder with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
- Isa 10:13–15For he has said, “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers.
- Luke 18:13–14But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
- Isa 10:6I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people who anger me will I give him a command to take the plunder and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
- Luke 1:51–53He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
- Prov 29:23A man’s pride brings him low, but one of lowly spirit gains honor.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 16:19 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.