Proverbs 28:22
New International Version
The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.

New Living Translation
Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.

English Standard Version
A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

Berean Standard Bible
A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him.

King James Bible
He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

New King James Version
A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

New American Standard Bible
A person with an evil eye hurries after wealth And does not know that poverty will come upon him.

NASB 1995
A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him.

NASB 1977
A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth, And does not know that want will come upon him.

Legacy Standard Bible
A man with an evil eye hurries after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him.

Amplified Bible
He who has an evil and envious eye hurries to be rich And does not know that poverty will come upon him.

Christian Standard Bible
A greedy one is in a hurry for wealth; he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A greedy man is in a hurry for wealth; he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.

American Standard Version
He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches, And knoweth not that want shall come upon him.

Contemporary English Version
Don't be selfish and eager to get rich--you will end up worse off than you can imagine.

English Revised Version
He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches, and knoweth not that want shall come upon him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A stingy person is in a hurry to get rich, not realizing that poverty is about to overtake him.

Good News Translation
Selfish people are in such a hurry to get rich that they do not know when poverty is about to strike.

International Standard Version
The miser is in a hurry to get wealthy, but he isn't aware that poverty will catch up with him.

Majority Standard Bible
A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him.

NET Bible
The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.

New Heart English Bible
A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn't know that poverty waits for him.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

World English Bible
A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn’t know that poverty waits for him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The man [with] an evil eye [is] troubled for wealth, "" And he does not know that want meets him.

Young's Literal Translation
Troubled for wealth is the man with an evil eye, And he knoweth not that want doth meet him.

Smith's Literal Translation
A man of evil eye hasted for riches, and knew not that want shall come upon him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
A man, that maketh haste to be rich, and envieth others, is ignorant that poverty shall come upon him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A man who hurries to become rich, and who envies others, does not know that destitution will overwhelm him.

New American Bible
Misers hurry toward wealth, not knowing that want is coming toward them.

New Revised Standard Version
The miser is in a hurry to get rich and does not know that loss is sure to come.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He who hastens to be rich has an evil eye and considers not that poverty shall come upon him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
A man with an evil eye hastens to be rich and he does not know that loss has come upon him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
He that hath an evil eye hasteneth after riches, And knoweth not that want shall come upon him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
An envious man makes haste to be rich, and knows not that the merciful man will have the mastery over him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Boldness of the Righteous
21To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread. 22A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him. 23He who rebukes a man will later find more favor than one who flatters with his tongue.…

Cross References
1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Luke 12:15
And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Ecclesiastes 5:10
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

James 5:1-3
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Mark 4:19
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

Matthew 19:23-24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. / Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Luke 16:13-14
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” / The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.

1 Timothy 6:17-19
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. / Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, / treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Proverbs 23:4-5
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. / When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Proverbs 11:28
He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.

Psalm 62:10
Place no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

Jeremiah 17:11
Like a partridge hatching eggs it did not lay is the man who makes a fortune unjustly. In the middle of his days his riches will desert him, and in the end he will be the fool.”


Treasury of Scripture

He that hastens to be rich has an evil eye, and considers not that poverty shall come on him.

Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

1 Timothy 6:9
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

an evil

Proverbs 23:6
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

Matthew 20:15
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

Mark 7:22
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

and

Genesis 13:10-13
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar…

Genesis 19:17
And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

Job 20:18-22
That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein

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Awaits Considereth Desiring Eager Evil Eye Goes Hasteneth Hastens Hasteth Hurries Meet Money Need Poverty Rich Riches Running Stingy Troubled Unaware Waits Want Wealth
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Awaits Considereth Desiring Eager Evil Eye Goes Hasteneth Hastens Hasteth Hurries Meet Money Need Poverty Rich Riches Running Stingy Troubled Unaware Waits Want Wealth
Proverbs 28
1. general observations of impiety and integrity














A stingy man
The Hebrew word for "stingy" here is "רַע עָיִן" (ra ayin), which literally translates to "evil eye." In the ancient Near Eastern context, having an "evil eye" was synonymous with being greedy or miserly. This phrase suggests a person who is not only unwilling to share their resources but also views others' prosperity with envy. From a conservative Christian perspective, this highlights the moral failing of placing material wealth above spiritual richness and community welfare. The "stingy man" is contrasted with the Biblical ideal of generosity, as seen in Proverbs 11:25, "A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

hastens after wealth
The verb "hastens" implies a sense of urgency and impatience. The Hebrew root "בָּהַל" (bahal) conveys a hurried or anxious pursuit. This reflects a mindset that prioritizes immediate gratification and material gain over patience and trust in God's provision. Historically, this can be seen in the context of ancient Israel, where wealth was often associated with God's blessing, yet the pursuit of wealth without righteousness was condemned. The conservative Christian view would emphasize the importance of seeking God's kingdom first, as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

and does not know
This phrase indicates a lack of awareness or understanding. The Hebrew "וְלֹא יָדַע" (velo yada) suggests ignorance or blindness to the consequences of one's actions. In the Biblical narrative, wisdom is often associated with the fear of the Lord and understanding His ways. The "stingy man" is depicted as lacking this wisdom, which leads to his downfall. From a conservative Christian perspective, this serves as a warning against spiritual blindness and the importance of seeking divine wisdom through prayer and scripture study.

that poverty awaits him
The Hebrew word for "poverty" is "מַחְסוֹר" (machsor), which denotes a state of lack or need. This is the inevitable outcome for the one who prioritizes wealth over righteousness. The phrase "awaits him" suggests an impending consequence that is certain and unavoidable. In the historical context of Proverbs, poverty was often seen as a result of foolishness or moral failure. The conservative Christian interpretation would see this as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly wealth and the eternal value of spiritual riches. As Jesus taught in Luke 12:15, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."

(22) Hath an evil eye.--Envies others their prosperity, and keeps all he has for himself.

And considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.--For it is "the liberal soul" that "shall be made fat" (Proverbs 11:25), not such as he, who can get no blessing from God.

Verse 22. - He that hasteth to be rich bath an evil eye (see ver. 20); better, the man of evil eye hasteth after riches. The man of evil eye (Proverbs 23:6) is the envious and covetous man; such a one tries to improve his position and raise himself speedily to the height of him whom he envies, and is quite unscrupulous as to the means which he uses to effect his purpose, and keeps all that he gains selfishly to himself. And yet he is really blind to his own best interests (comp Proverbs 20:21). And considereth not that poverty shall come upon him (comp. Proverbs 23:4, 5). His grasping greed brings no blessing with it (Proverbs 11:25), excites others to defraud him, and in the end consigns him to merited poverty. The LXX. here reads somewhat differently, and translates, "An envious man hasteth to be rich, and knows not that the merciful man (chasid instead of cheser) will I,ave the mastery over him," i.e. will take his wealth, as ver. 8. Proverbs concerning hastily gotten wealth have already been given. Here are a few more: Spanish, "Who would be rich in a year gets hanged in half a year;" Italian, "The river does not become swollen with clear water;" says a Scotch proverb, "Better a wee fire to warm as than a meikle fire to burn us."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A stingy
רַ֣ע (ra‘)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

man
אִ֭ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

hastens
נִֽבֳהָ֥ל (ni·ḇo·hāl)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 926: To tremble inwardly, be, alarmed, agitated, to hasten anxiously

after wealth
לַה֗וֹן (la·hō·wn)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1952: Wealth, sufficiency

and does not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

know
יֵ֝דַע (yê·ḏa‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

that
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

poverty
חֶ֥סֶר (ḥe·ser)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2639: Lack, destitution

awaits him.
יְבֹאֶֽנּוּ׃ (yə·ḇō·’en·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 28:22 A stingy man hurries after riches (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 28:21
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