Proverbs 22:22

Do not exploit ¹  a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court, ² 

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,

Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate;

Do not rob the poor because they are poor or exploit the needy in court.

Don't walk on the poor just because they're poor, and don't use your position to crush the weak,

Do not take away the property of the poor man because he is poor, or be cruel to the crushed ones when they come before the judge:

Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate;

Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

Do not exploit ¹  a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court, ² 

¹ tn Two negated jussives form the instruction here: אַל־תִּגְזָל (’al-tigzal, “do not exploit”) and וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּא (ve’al-tÿdakke’, “do not crush”).

sn Robbing or oppressing the poor is easy because they are defenseless. But this makes the crime tempting as well as contemptible. What is envisioned may be in bounds legally (just) but out of bounds morally.

² tn Heb “in the gate” (so KJV); NAB, NASB, NRSV “at the gate.” The “gate” of the city was the center of activity, the place of business as well as the place for settling legal disputes. The language of the next verse suggests a legal setting, so “court” is an appropriate translation here.