Proverbs 21:13

The one who shuts his ears ¹  to the cry ²  of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered. ³ 

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered.

Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.

If you stop your ears to the cries of the poor, your cries will go unheard, unanswered.

He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help.

If you close your ear to the cry of the poor, you will cry out and not be heard.

Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.

The one who shuts his ears ¹  to the cry ²  of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered. ³ 

¹ sn The imagery means “pay no attention to” the cry for help or “refuse to help,” so it is a metonymy of cause for the effect.

² sn “Cry” here would be a metonymy of effect for the cause, the cause being the great needs of the poor.

³ sn The proverb is teaching that those who show mercy will receive mercy. It involves the principle of talionic justice – those who refuse the needs of others will themselves be refused when they need help (so Luke 16:19-31).