14:31
Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:
31a
Whoever who oppresses the poor taunts their Maker,
31b but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
The theme of this proverb is similar to 14:21, 17:5, and 19:17.
14:31a–b
poor…needy: As with the similar pair in 14:20 and 14:21, no contrast is intended here between these two terms. They both refer to the same person or group of people.
their Maker…Him: In Hebrew, these parallel terms are literally “his maker…him.” Some English versions clarify the referent of the pronoun “him.” For example:
whoever is kind to the needy honors God (New International Version)
-or-
if you are kind to helpless people, it shows that you respect God (Easy English Bible)
However, if you decide to clarify the referent of “him,” it is recommended that you use the name of God, “the LORD.” In Hebrew, this name occurs over fifty times in this section (10:1–22:16). The word “God” (ʾelohim in Hebrew) does not occur in this section.
In some languages, a specific term needs to occur before a general term, such as “their maker.” In these languages, it may be necessary to make “the LORD” explicit in the first line. Otherwise, it may imply that “his maker” and “the LORD” are not the same person.
14:31a
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker: In Hebrew, the word poor is singular, and the phrase their Maker is literally “his maker.” So the phrase “his maker” could refer to the one who made the poor person. It could also refer to the one who made the oppressor. This ambiguity has resulted in different interpretations:
(1) The pronoun refers to the poor. For example:
If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them (Good News Translation)
(2) The pronoun refers to people who oppress the poor. For example:
If you mistreat the poor, you insult your Creator (Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the poor is the nearest pronoun referent. Also, the advice against oppressing the poor has more weight if it emphasizes the LORD as the creator of the poor.
However, it is true that the LORD created all people, not only the poor. So it is also acceptable if you can translate in a way that allows either meaning. For example:
To oppress the weak insults the Creator (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
He who oppresses a poor man insults his Maker (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker (New Revised Standard Version)
oppresses: This word refers to creating hardship or suffering for people of lower status. A person oppresses others by forcing them to work overly hard or by cheating them by giving them low wages.
the poor: In Hebrew, this word for poor refers to people who lack material things. They belong to one of the lower social classes, so they also lack power and significance. Most versions translate this Hebrew word with the general word “poor.” Some other ways to translate it are:
people who lack possessions/money
-or-
a person who lacks power
-or-
those who have low status
See the note on 10:4a and the footnote there for information on the other words for “poor” in Proverbs.
taunts: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as taunts usually means to mock or belittle someone with words. Here, however, it means to despise, scorn, or treat the LORD as worthless. A person does this by oppressing the poor. Several versions use the verb “insult.” This may be a good choice if it fits with actions as well as words.
14:31b
the needy: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as needy is one of the four Hebrew words that refer to the “poor” in Proverbs. This word emphasizes people who are needy. They may need food, clothing, or protection from people who oppress them. These needy people need to look for work every day. They depend on a daily wage for their survival.
Many English versions translate this word in the same way as the Berean Standard Bible. Some versions use a more general word. For example:
the poor (NET Bible)
See the note on 10:4a and the footnote there for information on the other words for “poor” in Proverbs.
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