Proverbs 22:16 (LSB)

Passage

He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself Or who gives to the rich will only come to lack.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 22:14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit; He who is cursed of Yahweh will fall into it.

Proverbs 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

Proverbs 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself Or who gives to the rich will only come to lack.

Proverbs 22:17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And set your heart on my knowledge;

Proverbs 22:18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be established on your lips.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "oppresses", "poor", "make", "himself", "gives", "rich", "only", and "come". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "oppresses" and "poor", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "Folly is bound up in the heart..." into verse 17's "Incline your ear and hear the words...", so "oppresses" and "poor" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "oppresses" and "poor" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.