All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The real sting here is in the last line: the poor man desperately pursues his former friends, not with demands for money, but simply with words—pleas, arguments, reminders of past friendship. Yet, even these empty appeals are met with absence; his friends have vanished, leaving him with nothing but the echo of his own words.
All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb speaks to the harsh reality of poverty: even a poor person's own family ("brethren") often distance themselves, and friends desert him even more readily. The verse highlights the futility of the poor man's efforts, as his pleas for help ("words") are met with absence, leaving him with nothing.
Imagine hitting rock bottom and realizing the people closest to you are the first to disappear. This verse lays bare a harsh reality.
Proverbs 19:7 doesn't just describe a bad situation; it highlights a painful truth about human nature, especially in times of hardship.
The Disappearing Act
The proverb states that even a poor person's brothers (closest family) tend to hate them. This 'hate' isn't necessarily active malice, but a deep aversion – a desire to avoid, to shun, to pretend they don't exist. This is often driven by shame or embarrassment by association, or simply a lack of willingness to get involved with someone else's problems.
Friends Follow Suit (or Worse)
If family distances themselves, the verse asks, how much more will friends do so? Friends, who are not bound by blood, are even quicker to retreat. They 'go far from him,' implying a deliberate, physical and emotional withdrawal. This isn't just neglect; it's an active separation from someone in distress. The pain of this abandonment is amplified because these were the people chosen for companionship and support.
When the poor man finally reaches out, he's met not with help, but with... words. What's so wrong with words, anyway?
The final part of Proverbs 19:7 describes the poor man's desperate attempt to reconnect and the hollow response he receives.
Chasing Smoke
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'He pursues them with words, but they are wanting to him.' This phrase is debated, but the core idea is consistent: the poor man is left with nothing substantial.
Understand the original words
rash · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
One who is destitute, needy, or lacking in worldly goods. The Bible frequently emphasizes God’s special concern for the poor and the moral obligation of others to care for them.
sane · Hebrew Verb
A term for profound dislike, hostility, or alienation. In a theological sense, it is the opposite of covenantal love (hesed) and often involves a deliberate turning away or rejection of another.
This passage vividly describes the isolation of someone in deep suffering, mirroring the loneliness of the poor man in Proverbs whose own family and friends have abandoned him.
Psalm 41:1This psalm offers a direct contrast, highlighting the blessedness of showing compassion to the poor, implicitly condemning the abandonment described in Proverbs.
Matthew 26:47-50While a different context, Jesus' betrayal by Judas, one of his closest 'friends,' shows how even deep relationships can fracture under pressure, echoing the superficiality of some friendships.
Luke 16:19-31The parable of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates a stark divide based on wealth and how the rich man's lack of compassion in life led to his isolation in the afterlife, paralleling the social abandonment seen in Proverbs.
barnesProverbs 19:7: "All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him."
It seems best to follow the Vulgate in taking the last clause as a separate maxim, He who pursues words, nought are they; i. e., the fair speeches and promises of help come to nothing. A various reading in the Hebrew gives, "he pursues after words, and these he shall have" - i. e., these, and nothing else. This and other like maxims d…
ellicottProverbs 19:7: "All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him."
(7) He pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to Him.— The first half of a verse has apparently dropped out here. The sense may be, that the poor man hunts after words— i.e. , seeks to get promises of help from his friends, and these end in nothing—mere talk.
The real sting here is in the last line: the poor man desperately pursues his former friends, not with demands for money, but simply with words—pleas, arguments, reminders of past friendship. Yet, even these empty appeals are met with absence; his friends have vanished, leaving him with nothing but the echo of his own words.
This proverb speaks to the harsh reality of poverty: even a poor person's own family ("brethren") often distance themselves, and friends desert him even more readily. The verse highlights the futility of the poor man's efforts, as his pleas for help ("words") are met with absence, leaving him with nothing.
This proverb speaks to the harsh reality of poverty: even a poor person's own family ("brethren") often distance themselves, and friends desert him even more readily. The verse highlights the futility of the poor man's efforts, as his pleas for help ("words") are met with absence, leaving him with nothing.
"All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them." — The real sting here is in the last line: the poor man desperately pursues his former friends, not with demands for money, but simply with words—pleas, arguments, reminders of past friendship. Yet…
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Last reviewed October 2026