Rich people may think they are wise, but a poor person with discernment can see right through them.
Parallel translations
- WEB The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.
- KJV The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
- BSB A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man with discernment sees through him.
- NKJV The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
- NASB The rich person is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding sees through him.
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
A rich man may think himself wise, but a discerning poor man sees through his pretense. It warns that wealth can blind one to true self-knowledge.
Overview
The proverb exposes how riches breed self-conceit, while a poor person of understanding perceives the rich man's true character. Worldly advantage is no guarantee of wisdom and can foster delusion. This humbling truth echoes the gospel call to despair of self-confidence and find true wisdom in Christ, who exalts the humble (James 4:6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Prov 18:17He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.
- Prov 26:16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
- Eccl 9:15–17Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
- 1 Cor 3:18–19Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
- Rom 12:16Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.
- Luke 16:13–14No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”
- Prov 23:4Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
- Prov 19:1Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
- Prov 18:11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
- Rom 11:25For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
- Isa 10:13–14For 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.
- Prov 26:5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
- Job 32:9It is not the great who are wise, nor the aged who understand justice.
- Ezek 28:3–5behold, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that is hidden from you;
- Isa 5:21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
- 1 Tim 6:17Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 28:11 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.