KJV ORIGINAL
He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
A person who rushes to get rich has a greedy heart and doesn't realize that poverty will eventually catch up with them.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is warning that people who desperately chase wealth with greed will end up poor because they're not thinking clearly about the consequences.
📚 Historical Context
This proverb comes from ancient Israel's wisdom tradition, likely written during Solomon's reign when trade and commerce were expanding. The phrase 'evil eye' was a common Hebrew expression for greed, envy, or stinginess. In that culture, wealth was seen as a blessing, but the pursuit of riches through dishonest or hasty means was strongly condemned.
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