Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse.
Parallel translations
- WEB Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.
- KJV Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
- NKJV Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
- NASB Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity, Than a person who is crooked, though he is rich.
- NLT Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich.
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
An honest poor person is better than a crooked rich one. It teaches that integrity outweighs wealth gained through corruption.
Overview
The proverb plainly values the poor person of integrity over the wealthy person of perverse ways, reversing the world's measure of success. Righteousness, not riches, is the true mark of a blessed life. This echoes Christ's teaching that it profits nothing to gain the world while losing one's soul (Mark 8:36).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Prov 19:1Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.
- Prov 28:18He who walks with integrity will be kept safe, but whoever is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
- Luke 16:19–23Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
- Prov 19:22The desire of a man is loving devotion; better to be poor than a liar.
- Prov 16:8Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice.
- Acts 24:24–27After several days, Felix returned with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
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 28:6 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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