This proverb is often misinterpreted as divine endorsement of exploiting the poor or justifying usurious lending to dominate others, ignoring its observational nature as proverbial wisdom meant to caution against debt's enslaving power rather than prescribe economic inequality; it does not override biblical mandates for justice, generosity toward the needy, and prohibitions on oppressive interest rates found elsewhere in Scripture.
Proverbs 22:7
King James Version (1769)
7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Proverbs 22:7 conveys the practical wisdom that wealth confers authority over those in need, specifically warning that borrowing money creates a form of servitude where the debtor must serve the lender's interests, emphasizing the importance of financial prudence, avoiding unnecessary debt, and pursuing self-sufficiency to maintain freedom and dignity in line with the broader themes of Proverbs advocating wise stewardship.