The Meaning of Proverbs 21:13 Explained

Proverbs 21:13

KJV: Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

YLT: Whoso is shutting his ear from the cry of the poor, He also doth cry, and is not answered.

Darby: Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also himself shall cry, and shall not be heard.

ASV: Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, He also shall cry, but shall not be heard.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Whoso stoppeth  his ears  at the cry  of the poor,  he also shall cry  himself, but shall not be heard. 

What does Proverbs 21:13 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 21

1  The king's heart in the hand of the Lord

What do the individual words in Proverbs 21:13 mean?

Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor also he will cry and not be heard
אֹטֵ֣ם אָ֭זְנוֹ מִזַּעֲקַת־ דָּ֑ל גַּֽם־ ה֥וּא יִ֝קְרָ֗א וְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה

אֹטֵ֣ם  Whoever  shuts 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָטַם  
Sense: to shut, shut up, close.
אָ֭זְנוֹ  his  ears 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
מִזַּעֲקַת־  to  the  cry 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: זְעָקָה  
Sense: cry, outcry.
דָּ֑ל  of  the  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: דַּל  
Sense: low, poor, weak, thin, one who is low.
גַּֽם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
יִ֝קְרָ֗א  will  cry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵעָנֶֽה  be  heard 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.