Proverbs 22:22 (YLT)

Passage

Rob not the poor because he <FI>is<Fi> poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 22:20 Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?

Proverbs 22:21 To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.

Proverbs 22:22 Rob not the poor because he <FI>is<Fi> poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.

Proverbs 22:23 For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.

Proverbs 22:24 Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "poor", "bruise", "afflicted", and "gate". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "poor" and "bruise", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "To cause thee to know the certainty..." into verse 23's "For Jehovah pleadeth their cause And hath...", so "poor" and "bruise" 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 "poor" and "bruise" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.