KJV ORIGINAL
A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
A poor person who mistreats other poor people is like a heavy rainstorm that washes away all the crops instead of helping them grow.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse is warning that when someone who has little takes advantage of others who also have little, it destroys everyone instead of helping anyone.
📚 Historical Context
This proverb was written during a time when most people lived in agricultural communities and depended on crops for survival. Heavy rains that came at the wrong time or were too intense could devastate entire harvests, leaving communities without food. The imagery would have been immediately understood by people whose lives depended on successful farming seasons.
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