Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
Parallel translations
- WEB One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.
- KJV He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
- NKJV He who gives to the poor will not lack, But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
- NASB One who gives to the poor will never lack anything, But one who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
- NLT Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.
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
Generosity to the poor brings no lack, but ignoring their need brings curses. It promises blessing for open-handed giving and warning for hard-heartedness.
Overview
The proverb assures that the one who gives to the poor will not lack, while the one who shuts his eyes to need incurs many curses. God honors generosity and judges callous neglect. This reflects the gospel heart of Christ, who though rich became poor for our sake, and calls His people to generous love (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 19:17Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
- Deut 15:7If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.
- Ps 41:1–3For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Blessed is the one who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.
- Prov 11:24One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
- Deut 15:10Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.
- 2 Cor 9:6–11Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
- Ps 112:5–9It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
- Prov 22:9A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
- Prov 11:26The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.
- Isa 1:15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Heb 13:16And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Prov 24:24Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
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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 28:27 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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