Proverbs 13:7
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
There is that makes himself rich, yet has nothing: there is that makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
American King James Version (AKJV)
There is that makes himself rich, yet has nothing: there is that makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
American Standard Version (ASV)
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
A man may be acting as if he had wealth, but have nothing; another may seem poor, but have great wealth.
Webster's Revision
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
World English Bible
There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
English Revised Version (ERV)
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth.
Clarke's Proverbs 13:7 Bible Commentary
There is that maketh himself rich - That labors hard to acquire money, yet hath nothing; his excessive covetousness not being satisfied with what he possesses, nor permitting him to enjoy with comfort what he has acquired. The fable of the dog in the manger will illustrate this.
There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches - "As poor," said St. Paul, "yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things." The former is the rich poor man; the latter is the poor rich man.
As the words are here in the hithpael conjugation, which implies reflex action, or the action performed on one's self, and often signifies feigning or pretending to be what one is not, or not to be what one is; the words may be understood of persons who feign or pretend to be either richer or poorer than they really are, to accomplish some particular purpose. "There is that feigneth himself to be rich, yet hath nothing; there is that feigneth himself to be poor, yet hath great riches." Both these characters frequently occur in life.
Barnes's Proverbs 13:7 Bible Commentary
Compare Proverbs 11:24. There is a seeming wealth behind which there lies a deep spiritual poverty and wretchedness. There is a poverty which makes a person rich for the kingdom of God.
Wesley's Proverbs 13:7 Bible Commentary
13:7 Maketh rich - Some men who have little or nothing, pretend to have great riches. Maketh rich - Some rich men profess to be poor.