The Meaning of Proverbs 13:8 Explained

Proverbs 13:8

KJV: The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.

YLT: The ransom of a man's life are his riches, And the poor hath not heard rebuke.

Darby: The ransom of a man's life is his riches; but the indigent heareth not rebuke.

ASV: The ransom of a man's life is his riches; But the poor heareth no threatening.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The ransom  of a man's  life  [are] his riches:  but the poor  heareth  not rebuke. 

What does Proverbs 13:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The idea in this contrast is that a rich man may lose his money by having to buy himself out of trouble. A poor man is not the target of robbers and kidnappers because he has little money. The more money a person has the more financial obligations become his, but a poor man is free of these distractions. Another view is that the poor man cannot buy himself out of trouble since his means are limited. [1]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 13

1  a scoffer does not listen to rebuke

What do the individual words in Proverbs 13:8 mean?

The ransom of a life of man [is] his riches but the poor not does hear rebuke
כֹּ֣פֶר נֶֽפֶשׁ־ אִ֣ישׁ עָשְׁר֑וֹ וְ֝רָ֗שׁ לֹא־ שָׁמַ֥ע גְּעָרָֽה

כֹּ֣פֶר  The  ransom 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּפֶר 
Sense: price of a life, ransom, bribe.
נֶֽפֶשׁ־  of  a  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
אִ֣ישׁ  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עָשְׁר֑וֹ  [is]  his  riches 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹשֶׁר  
Sense: wealth, riches.
וְ֝רָ֗שׁ  but  the  poor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רוּשׁ  
Sense: to be poor, be in want, lack.
שָׁמַ֥ע  does  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
גְּעָרָֽה  rebuke 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גְּעָרָה  
Sense: a rebuke, reproof.