Proverbs 21 · Verse 13

Proverbs 21:13

Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
Proverbs 21:13, King James Version

Proverbs 21:13 in other translations

BSBWhoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
WEBWhoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.
ASVWhoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, He also shall cry, but shall not be heard.
YLTWhoso is shutting his ear from the cry of the poor, He also doth cry, and is not answered.
DARBYWhoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also himself shall cry, and shall not be heard.
BBEHe whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help.
WebsterWhoever stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

What does Proverbs 21:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. The principles of retribution, often taught (compare Psa 18:26; Mt 7:1-12).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Whoso stoppeth his ears - See the conduct of the priest and Levite to the man who fell among thieves; and let every man learn from this, that he who shuts his ear against the cry of the poor, shall have the ear of God shut against his cry. The words are quite plain; there is no difficulty here.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Such as oppress the poor by beating down wages, such as will not relieve according to their ability those in distress, and those in authority who neglect to do justice, stop their ears at the cry of the poor. But doubtless care is to be used in the exercise of charity.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 21:13 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.

אֹטֵ֣ם'o.Tem[one who] shutsH331
אָ֭זְנוֹ'a.ze.noear hisH241
מִזַּעֲקַת\־mi.za.'a.kat-from [the] cry ofH2201
דָּ֑לDal[the] poorH1800
גַּֽם\־gam-alsoH1571
ה֥וּאhu'heH1931
יִ֝קְרָ֗אyik.Ra'he will call outH7121
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יֵעָנֶֽה\׃ye.'a.Nehhe will be answeredH6030

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

Cross references for Proverbs 21:13

  • Proverbs 1:28

    Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

  • Proverbs 28:27

    He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

  • Matthew 6:14

    For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

  • James 2:13-16

    For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

  • Matthew 7:2

    For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

  • Jeremiah 34:16-17

    But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

  • Matthew 18:30-35

    And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? …

  • Isaiah 58:6-9

    Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

  • Isaiah 1:15-17

    And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

  • Psalms 18:41

    They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.

  • Psalms 58:4

    Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

  • Matthew 25:41-46

    Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
stoppeth.
Ps 58:4; Zec 7:11; Ac 7:57
at.
28:27; De 15:7-11; Ne 5:1-5,13; Isa 1:15-17; 58:6-9; Jer 34:16,17
Zec 7:9-13; Mt 6:14; 7:2; 18:30-35; 25:41-46; Jas 2:13-16
cry himself.
1:28; Ps 18:41; Lu 13:25

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

Context

  • Proverbs 21:12

    The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.

  • Proverbs 21:13

    Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

  • Proverbs 21:14

    A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

Read all of Proverbs 21

Proverbs 21:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
El que cierra su oído al clamor del pobre, también él clamará, y no será oído.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Celui qui ferme son oreille au cri du pauvre, criera lui aussi, et on ne lui répondra pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wer sein Ohr verstopft vor dem Schrei des Armen, auch er wird rufen und nicht erhört werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Qui obturat aurem suam ad clamorem pauperis, et ipse clamabit, et non exaudietur.