Proverbs 13:7 Meaning: When Rich Is Poor and Poor Is Rich
There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth.
There is who is making himself rich, and hath nothing, Who is making himself poor, and wealth is abundant.
There is that feigneth himself rich, and hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, and hath great wealth.
Meaning in one sentence
Proverbs 13:7 contrasts those who pretend to be rich with those who pretend to be poor, pointing to the deeper truth that real wealth isn’t always visible.
Context
This proverb sits in a collection of short, punchy sayings that contrast wisdom with folly in everyday life. The verses around it touch on money, work, honesty, and pride. Verse 7 stands out by flipping appearances upside down. It says that what people show on the outside often has nothing to do with what they really have. The chapter keeps returning to the idea that how we handle possessions reveals something about our hearts. This verse is like a mirror held up to the gap between image and reality.
Key Words
The Hebrew verbs here are in a form called Hithpael, which often means doing something to yourself or pretending to be something. One verb means “enriches himself”, putting on the airs of wealth. The other means “impoverishes himself”, acting as if you have nothing. The commentators notice this: these aren’t passive states but active choices to project a false image. The word for “nothing” (ayin) is stark, empty, lacking even one thing. But “great wealth” (hon rav) is the opposite: substance, abundance. The verbs tell the real story: we can control our image, but not the truth. God sees the one thing that actually counts.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this verse in two main ways, and both are supported by the text. Some, like Matthew Henry and John Gill, apply it directly to spiritual life: a person may look rich in grace but have none, while another appears poor yet is rich toward God. Others, like Adam Clarke and Wesley, focus on financial pretense, someone living beyond their means, or someone hoarding wealth while acting needy. The Hebrew verb form allows either reading, and historic Christian teaching holds both as faithful to the verse’s intent. The wisdom invites us to check our own hearts before we point fingers.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to think the verse is only about money, that it praises poverty and condemns wealth. In fact, the verse says nothing about the value of being rich or poor. It is about pretense. The problem is the gap between appearance and reality, whether that gap is financial or spiritual. The proverb holds a mirror up to hypocrisy in any form, not to a particular economic status.
Living This Out
This week, try an honest inventory. Where do you spend energy projecting an image that doesn’t match your real life? Maybe it’s at work, in your giving, or in your conversations about faith. Do you claim to trust God with your money but lie awake worrying? Do you pretend to have it all together when you’re struggling? Or maybe you hide your gifts, afraid of what others might ask. The invitation is to bring the two into alignment, to let your outward life honestly reflect what God is doing within.
Main takeaway: True wealth is not what we appear to have, but the condition of our hearts before the God who sees everything.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people pretend to have lots of toys but really don’t. Others pretend they have no toys at all, but their room is full. God sees what’s really true, and He cares about our hearts.
For ages 9, 12
This proverb is about the gap between how we look and what’s real. You might know someone who brags about what they own, but deep down they’re empty. Or someone who never shows off but is generous and kind. God isn’t impressed by the outside. He sees the real treasure, or the real lack, in our hearts. That’s what matters.
Questions People Ask
What does Proverbs 13:7 mean?
It contrasts two kinds of pretense. Some people act rich when they have nothing, while others act poor when they have great wealth. The verse is a warning about the gap between appearance and reality, whether that applies to money, faith, or character.
Is Proverbs 13:7 about money or about faith?
Both interpretations are well supported. The Hebrew verb form (Hithpael) often indicates pretending, so the verse can apply to financial pretense (living beyond or below your means) or spiritual pretense (claiming to be rich in grace when you are not, or hiding the riches of faith). Most historic Christian commentators see it applying to both areas.
Does this verse say it’s wrong to be rich?
No. The verse doesn't condemn wealth or poverty. It condemns pretending to be something you are not. The issue is dishonesty and hypocrisy, not a person’s actual financial situation.
What does it mean to make yourself poor yet have great wealth?
This could describe someone who lives stingily and hoards resources, pretending to be needy. Or it could describe a humble believer who has genuine spiritual riches, faith, love, generosity, but doesn't flaunt them. The verse invites us to look beneath the surface.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study