Proverbs 10 · Verse 15

Proverbs 10:15

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
Proverbs 10:15, King James Version

Proverbs 10:15 in other translations

BSBThe wealth of the rich man is his fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
WEBThe rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
ASVThe rich man’s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
YLTThe wealth of the rich is his strong city, The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
DARBYThe rich man's wealth is his strong city; the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
BBEThe property of the man of wealth is his strong town: the poor man's need is his destruction.
WebsterThe rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

What does Proverbs 10:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. Both by trusting in "uncertain riches" (1Ti 6:17), or by the evils of poverty (Pr 30:9), men, not fearing God, fall into dangers.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city - Behold a mystery in providence; there is not a rich man on earth but becomes such by means of the poor! Property comes from the labor of the poor, and the king himself is served of the field. How unjust, diabolically so, is it to despise or oppress those by whose labor all property is acquired! The destruction of the poor is their poverty - A man in abject poverty never arises out of this pit. They have no nucleus about which property may aggregate. The poet spoke well: - Haud facile emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi. "They rarely emerge from poverty, whose exertions are cramped by want at home."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
This refers to the common mistakes both of rich and poor, as to their outward condition. Rich people's wealth exposes them to many dangers; while a poor man may live comfortably, if he is content, keeps a good conscience, and lives by faith.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 10:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ה֣וֹןHon[the] wealth ofH1952
עָ֭שִׁיר'A.shira rich [person]H6223
קִרְיַ֣תkir.Yat[is] a town ofH7151
עֻזּ֑וֹu.Zostrength hisH5797
מְחִתַּ֖תme.chi.Tat[is the] ruin ofH4288
דַּלִּ֣יםda.Limpoor [people]H1800
רֵישָֽׁם\׃rei.Shampoverty theirH7389

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 10:15

  • Proverbs 18:11

    The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

  • Proverbs 19:7

    All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

  • Proverbs 14:20

    The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

  • Psalms 52:7

    Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

  • Ecclesiastes 7:12

    For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

  • Proverbs 22:22-23

    Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

  • Micah 2:1-2

    Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

  • Job 31:24-25

    If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;

  • Psalms 49:6

    They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

  • Mark 10:24

    And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

  • Jeremiah 9:23

    Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

  • 1 Timothy 6:17

    Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
rich.
18:11; Job 31:24,25; Ps 49:6; 52:7; Ec 7:12; Jer 9:23; Mr 10:24
Lu 12:19; 1Ti 6:17
the destruction.
14:20; 19:7; 22:22,23; Mic 2:1,2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 10:14

    Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

  • Proverbs 10:15

    The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

  • Proverbs 10:16

    The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

Read all of Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Las riquezas del rico son su ciudad fuerte; y el desmayo de los pobres es su pobreza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les biens du riche sont sa ville forte; la ruine des misérables, c’est leur pauvreté.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Wohlstand des Reichen ist seine feste Stadt, der Unglücksfall der Geringen ihre Armut.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Substantia divitis, urbs fortitudinis ejus; pavor pauperum egestas eorum.