Proverbs 10 · a question people ask

"He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand" (10:4). Does the chapter mean that poor people are lazy?

In the text

The saying names one way poverty comes: "He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth" (10:4). It doesn't say that everyone who is poor is lazy, and the book says other things too. "An abundance of food is in poor people’s fields, but injustice sweeps it away" (Proverbs 13:23). "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich" (Proverbs 28:6). In this chapter, "The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty" (10:15) says what poverty does, not how it came. And the chapter names two things that bring wealth, with one Hebrew word for brings wealth: "the hand of the diligent brings wealth" (10:4), and "The LORD’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it" (10:22) (tap brings wealth). It doesn't say how the two fit together. The introduction to Proverbs sets 10:4 beside 13:23 and 28:6, and says that Christians differ over how far sayings like these are promises; these notes don't choose. They don't apply 10:4 to anyone's money, work or need today.

The verses

“He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.”
Proverbs 10:4 · World English Bible
“The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.”
Proverbs 10:15 · World English Bible
“The LORD’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.”
Proverbs 10:22 · World English Bible
“An abundance of food is in poor people’s fields, but injustice sweeps it away.”
Proverbs 13:23 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10: Love covers all wrongs

The hatred of 10:12 comes back in 10:18, "He who hides hatred has lying lips", and in Hebrew hides is 10:12's covers: the chapter has a covering that loves and a covering that lies. And in one chapter both "the hand of the diligent" (10:4) and "The LORD’s blessing" (10:22) bring wealth, with one Hebrew word.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions