Proverbs 14:20

The poor is hated even of his own neighbour,.... As well as of strangers; that is, he is shy of him; he does not care to take any notice of him, or be friendly with him, lest he should be burdensome to him.

The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. The poor is hated even of his own neighbour.

Is hated, i.e. despised and abandoned, as hateful persons and things are. His own neighbour; strictly so called, who is nearest to him, either by habitation or by relation, and therefore most obliged to love and help him.

Proverbs 14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich [hath] many friends.Ver. 20. The poor is hated,] i.e., Less loved, little respected, as Genesis 29:31 Malachi 1:5 Luke 14:26. The heathen could say, Aφιλοντοδυστοχες - adversity finds few friends. Et cum fortuna statque caditque fides. Few will appear for suffering saints. This Job and David much complain of; but when a deer is shot, the rest of the herd push him out of their company, so here, Tempora si fuerint nubila, solus eris. The same Hebrew word that signifies winter, an emblem of poverty, signifies reproach. "This thy son"; not this "my brother," because in poverty. The Samaritans would not once own the Jews when they were in a poor estate, but disavow them, as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes; but when in prosperity, then they would curry favour with them, and call them their sweet cousins. When it was sometimes disputed among the Romans in the council, using to deify great men, whether Christ, having done many wonderful works, should be received into the number of the gods, it was resolved that he should not, Propter hoc, quod paupertatem predicarit et elegerit, quam mundus contemnit, because he preached poverty and chose poor men whom the world cares not for. But the rich man hath many friends.] Such as they are, ollares amici - trencher flies, such as follow the scent, and, like Bohemian curs, will fawn upon a good suit. As for faithful friends, divitibus ideo amicus deest, quia nihil deest, saith one; few such to be found such as, with Ittai the Gittite and Hushai the Archite, will stick close to a David when stripped of all. Josephus relates of the Jews that they were very careful how they received proselytes in Solomon’ s time, because then the state of the Jews flourished. Josephus. Purchas.

(20) The poor is hated even of his own neighbour.—This sad experience of life is repeated in Proverbs 19:7. The following verse serves as a corrective of this selfish tendency of mankind.

Verse 20. But the rich hath many friends.] Many who speak to him the language of friendship; but if they profess friendship because he is rich, there is not one real friend among them. There is a fine saying of Cicero on this subject: Ut hirundines festivo tempore praesto sunt, frigore pulsae recedunt: ita falsi amici sereno tempore praesto sunt: simul atque fortunae hiemem viderint, evolant omnes. - Lib. iv., ad Herenn. "They are like swallows, who fly off during the winter, and quit our cold climates; and do not return till the warm season: but as soon as the winter sets in, they are all off again." So Horace: - Donec eris felix, multos numerabis amicos: Nullus ad amissas ibit amicus opes. "As long as thou art prosperous, thou shalt have many friends: but who of them will regard thee when thou hast lost thy wealth?"

The maxim, jarring as it is, represents the generalization of a wide experience; but the words which follow Proverbs 14:21 show that it is not to be taken by itself.

20. Hated — That is, treated with neglect or contempt, as if hated, while the rich man commands attention. Compare Proverbs 19:4; Proverbs 19:7; Job 19:13-14; Job 30:10. Neighbour — Or, friend.