The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.
Parallel Translations
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The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.
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The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
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The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him through.
Cross-references (16)
Passages linked to Proverbs 28:11 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 18:17 He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.
- Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
- Ecclesiastes 9:15-17 Now a poor wise man was found in it, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.
- Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
- Proverbs 23:4 Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
- Luke 16:13-14 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.” The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.
- Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”
- Job 32:9 It is not the great who are wise, nor the aged who understand justice.
- Proverbs 18:11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.
- Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
- Isaiah 10:13-14 For he has said, “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers. My hand has found the riches of the peoples like a nest, and like one gathers eggs that are abandoned, I have gathered all the earth. There was no one who moved their wing, or that opened their mouth, or chirped.”
- Ezekiel 28:3-5 behold, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that is hidden from you; by your wisdom and by your understanding you have gotten yourself riches, and have gotten gold and silver into your treasures; by your great wisdom and by your trading you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches—”
- Romans 11:25 For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
- Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
- 1 Timothy 6:17 Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be arrogant, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy;
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain And judge that he is not wise.
And judge that he is not wise.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 28:11 The rich man [is] wise in his…
Pro 28:11 The rich man [is] wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
Ver. 11. The rich man is wise in his own conceit.] He sacrificeth to himself, as Sejanus did; {a} to his "drag and net," {Hab 1:16} as the Babylonians did; he thanks his wit for his wealth, and takes upon him as if there were none such. {1Ti 6:17} {See Trapp on "1Ti 6:17"} Like Isis her ass, that had gone so oft to the temple of that goddess, that at length she thought herself worshipful. Every grain of riches hath a vermin of pride and self-conceit in it, and a very small wind will blow up a bubble.
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But the poor that hath understanding.] That is, Well versed in the bigger volume of God’s word, and in the lesser volume of his own heart - which is better to him than any expositor, for the right understanding of the Scriptures; this poor wise man searcheth him out, finds the rich man’s folly, and if need be tells him of it, giving him a right character of himself. Sed divitibus fere ideo talis amicus deest, quia nihil deest.
{a} Seianus sibi sacrificabat. - Dio.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Is wise in his own conceit; thinks himself to…
Is wise in his own conceit; thinks himself to be wise when he is not, being puffed up with the opinion of his riches, which also he imputes to his own wisdom, and with the admirations and applauses of flatterers, which commonly attend upon them.
Searcheth him out; knoweth him better than he knoweth himself; and, looking through all his pomp and vain show, he sees him to be what indeed he is, a foolish and miserable man, notwithstanding all his riches, and discovers the folly of his words and actions.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain Note, 1. Those that are rich are apt to…
Note, 1. Those that are rich are apt to think themselves wise, because, whatever else they are ignorant of, they know how to get and save; and those that are purse-proud expect that all they say should be regarded as an oracle and a law, and that none should dare to contradict them, but every sheaf bow to theirs; this humour is fed by flatterers, who, because (like Jezebel's prophets) they are fed at their table, cry up their wisdom. 2. Those that are poor often prove themselves wiser than they: A poor man, who has taken pains to get wisdom, having no other way (as the rich man has) to get a reputation, searches him out, and makes it to appear that he is not such a scholar, nor such a politician, as he is taken to be. See how variously God dispenses his gifts; to some he gives wealth, to others wisdom, and it is easy to say which of these is the better gift, which we should covet more earnestly.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain The rich man is wise in his own conceit,....…
The rich man is wise in his own conceit,.... Ascribing his getting riches to his great sagacity, wisdom, and prudence; and being flattered with it by dependents on him;
but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out: a man of good understanding, whether in things natural, civil, moral, or spiritual, though poor, as a man may be poor and yet a wise man; such an one, when he comes into company with a rich man, wise in his own conceit, he soon by conversation with him finds him out to be a very foolish man, and exposes him as one; for riches are not always to men of understanding, or all that have them are not such; and better is a poor wise man than even a foolish king; see Ecc 9:11.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Pro 28:11. The rich man is wise in his…
Pro 28:11. The rich man is wise in his own conceit — Thinks himself wise when he is not, being puffed up by the opinion of his riches; but the poor, &c., searcheth him out — Knows him better than he knows himself, and, looking through all his pomp and vain show, sees him to be, what indeed he is, a foolish and miserable man, notwithstanding all his riches, and discovers the folly of his words and actions.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Wealth blunts, poverty sharpens, the critical power of intellect.
Wealth blunts, poverty sharpens, the critical power of intellect.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Charles Bridges 1846 · Public Domain To be truly wise, and wise in our own…
To be truly wise, and wise in our own conceit, are two things often confounded, but essentially opposite. But though riches do not always bring wisdom (Job 32:9 ), the rich man often pretends to it, and ascribes his success to his own sagacity, though he may be manifestly simple and foolish. The Apostle therefore, with a reference to this besetting temptation, directs a "charge to them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded." (1Ti 6:17 .) The prophet brings the wealthy prince of Tyrus on the stage, and shews him to us in all the folly of his conceit. (Eze 28:2 .) Obviously indeed the rich man has many advantages above the poor, in leisure and opportunities of instruction. Yet on the other hand, worldly elevation operates unfavorably. He is shut out from many opportunities of Christian instruction. The atmosphere of flattery clouds that faculty of self-knowledge, which is the basis of true wisdom. And how natural is it to think himself as wise as his flatterers represent him; as much above his neighbors in understanding as in station! Hence he becomes dogmatical in over-weening conceit; fond every way of displaying his fancied superiority. Yet, as in the case of Naaman’s servants (2Ki 5:13 ), the intelligent good understanding of a poor man may search him out, and see through this false gloss. Specially, when endued with a measure of spiritual understanding, the poor man may expose his superior to just mortification. (Joh 9:30-34 .) Indeed the universe possesses not a more dignified character than the poor wise man. Did not the incarnate Lord honor this station supremely, by taking it on himself? (Php 2:7 .) To walk in his footsteps, in his spirit, is wisdom, honor, and happiness, infinitely beyond what this poor world of vanity can afford.
Footnotes:
Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain A poor but wise man can discover (and expose)…
A poor but wise man can discover (and expose) the rich and self-conceited.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 11. Rich… conceit — Riches sometimes gives a man…
11. Rich… conceit — Riches sometimes gives a man an overweening opinion of his own wisdom. A man of intelligence, though poor, easily sees through him, and can easily expose his pretensions.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 11. searcheth him out] sees through him, as we…
11. searcheth him out] sees through him, as we should say, “Bene novit, neutiquam, ut Euripidis utamur dicto, τὸν εὐτυχοῦντα πάντʼ ἐπίστασθαι καλῶς,” Maurer.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (11) The rich man is wise in his own…
(11) The rich man is wise in his own conceit.—For the blinding effect of wealth comp. Rev_3:17.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The rich man is wise in his own conceit.…
The rich man is wise in his own conceit. (comp. Pro_18:11) A rich man thinks so highly of his position, is so flattered by parasites, and deems himself placed so immeasurably above social inferiors, that he learns to consider himself possessed of other qualifications, even mental and intellectual gifts, with which wealth has no concern. This purse-proud arrogance which looks upon financial skill and sharpness in bargaining as true wisdom, is confined to no age or country. But the poor man that hath understanding searcheth him out. (Pro_18:17) Wisdom is not to be bought with money. A poor man may be wise, his poverty probably making him a keener critic; and if he is brought into communication with this self-deluding plutocrat, he soon sees through him and recognizes his real value. Septuagint, "An intelligent poor man will condemn him."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain Pro_28:12. Hidden. Or “sought for.” Delitzsch understands this to…
CRITICAL NOTES.—
Pro_28:12. Hidden. Or “sought for.” Delitzsch understands this to mean “plundered,” or “subjected to espionage.”
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MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro_28:11
WISDOM IN WEALTH AND POVERTY
I. Riches tend to produce self-deception. The power of riches to give external position and influence is almost unlimited. Wealth can bring its owners into the palaces of princes, and place them on an equal footing with men of talent and rank. It can surround a man with servants who will obey his nod, and with friends who will flatter him to his heart’s content. By means of riches a man can make his name famous in both hemispheres while he lives, and cause it to be remembered after he is dead. It is not therefore surprising that many men who possess this potent means of influence should be so dazzled by it as to be unable to see themselves apart from it, and should credit themselves with being more than ordinary men, while the only difference is that they have more. A rich man is always in danger of mistaking his wealth, which is but an appendage to his personality, for the wealth of wisdom, which is a part of oneself, and so of being the subject of the worst of all deception, viz., self-deception.
II. But the possessor of riches does not often deceive other people as to his real worth. Men around him may flatter him and treat him as if they thought him very wise and clever, but they are often despising him all the time, and oftentimes there are those about him who, although they are beneath him in rank and wealth, are far above him in sagacity and penetration, and can read his character and motives far better than he can himself. Wealth can do much for a man, but it cannot purchase for him the respect and esteem of even the poor man who “hath understanding,” and poverty has many drawbacks, but it is free from this one—it does not minister to human vanity.
III. A poor man who has moral and mental wealth is a greater blessing to the world than even a rich man who is wise and good. He can show the world that there are some things better than wealth, and that these better things are in no sense connected with it or dependent upon it. He can convince men that gold is but a shadow and that riches of heart and mind are the substance, and he can demonstrate how much more lasting and satisfying is the influence gained by wisdom than that which is born of wealth.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
The phrase, “searcheth him out,” may be variously understood. He discerns his true character. He sees that wisdom and wealth do not always go together; that a full purse is quite compatible with an empty head. He sees, too, that a man’s wisdom is not to be estimated by his opinion of himself. He sees shallowness where the man himself fancies depth, and folly in what elates him with a vain consciousness of his own wisdom. He sees abundant reason for not making the rich man his oracle, or setting him up as his idol, or making his example the pattern for his imitation, merely for the number of his acres, or for the gold and silver in his coffers. He sees how prone men in general are to allow weight to counsel in proportion to the wealth of the counsellor. But the “understanding” which God has given him shows him the absurdity of this. He “searches out” the fallacy, and detects and exposes the imprudence and folly of sentiments and proposals, that are propounded and recommended by the wealthiest of the wealthy. And still further, taking “understanding” in its higher sense, as it is used in this Book, as including a mind divinely enlightened and under the influence of the fear of God and all the principles of true religion:—the poor man who has this, sees and knows that “a little with the fear of the Lord is better than the riches of many wicked;”—that “a good understanding have all they who do his commandments;”—that no folly can be more palpable and flagrant than the folly of “trusting in uncertain riches,”—“setting the eyes upon that which is not,” and neglecting provision for the soul and for eternity,—forfeiting the “unsearchable riches” provided by the mercy of God for sinners,—all the blessings, unspeakably precious, summed up in “life everlasting;”—spurning away the counsel that would put these in possession;—greedily coveting the treasures of the world that perish in the using, and rejecting the Divine offer of the treasures of immortality. The poor man who hath understanding—I can hardly say “searches out” the folly of this,—he discerns it by a kind of spiritual intuition.—Wardlaw.
The thought in Pro_28:12 is the same as in chap. Pro_11:10. See Homiletics on page 206.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 be wise in his own eyes
be wise in his own eyes
The eyes represent seeing, and seeing represents thoughts or judgment. AT: "be wise in his own thoughts" or "think he is wise" (See: Metaphor)
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who has understanding
The abstract noun "understanding" can be expressed as a verb. AT: "who understands" (See: Abstract Nouns)
will find him out
This is an idiom that means the poor person will be able to determine whether or not the rich person is really wise. AT: "will see his true nature" (See: Idiom)
When the righteous triumph
"When righteous people succeed"
when the wicked arise
This is an idiom that means when the wicked gain power or start to rule. AT: "when the wicked rise to power" (See: Idiom)
the wicked
This refers to wicked people in general. AT: "wicked people" (See: Nominal Adjectives)
people are sought out
You may need to make explicit that those who "are sought out" have hidden themselves to escape from the wicked. This can be stated in active form. AT: "they seek people out" or "they seek out the people who hide from them" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information and Active or Passive)
translationWords
wise
glory
evil
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.