The Meaning of Proverbs 29:13 Explained

Proverbs 29:13

KJV: The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.

YLT: The poor and the man of frauds have met together, Jehovah is enlightening the eyes of them both.

Darby: The indigent and the oppressor meet together; Jehovah lighteneth the eyes of them both.

ASV: The poor man and the oppressor meet together; Jehovah lighteneth the eyes of them both.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The poor  and the deceitful  man  meet together:  the LORD  lighteneth  both  their eyes. 

What does Proverbs 29:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The poor man is the oppressed, and the oppressor is the rich. They are opposites in this regard. Both owe God their sight and really all the common blessings He bestows on everyone. Giving light to their eyes may mean giving them life (cf. Job 33:30; Psalm 13:3). [1]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 29

1  observations of public government
15  and of private
22  Of anger, pride, thievery, cowardice and corruption

What do the individual words in Proverbs 29:13 mean?

The poor [man] and the oppressor have this in common gives light to the eyes of the two of them Yahweh
רָ֤שׁ וְאִ֣ישׁ תְּכָכִ֣ים נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ מֵ֤אִיר־ עֵינֵ֖י שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם יְהוָֽה

רָ֤שׁ  The  poor  [man] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רוּשׁ  
Sense: to be poor, be in want, lack.
וְאִ֣ישׁ  and  the 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
תְּכָכִ֣ים  oppressor 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: תֹּךְ  
Sense: injury, oppression, oppressor.
נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ  have  this  in  common 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּגַשׁ  
Sense: to meet, join, encounter.
מֵ֤אִיר־  gives  light  to 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: to be or become light, shine.
עֵינֵ֖י  the  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
שְׁנֵיהֶ֣ם  of  the  two  of  them 
Parse: Number, mdc, third person masculine plural
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.