This saying requires explanation because charging interest on a loan to a fellow Israelite was forbidden (Exo 22.25; Lev 25.36; Deut 23.19) but was evidently practiced. According to Whybray, the point of the saying is that while a moneylender may extort money from the poor, the lender’s heir may be a generous person who “pays it back” through gifts to the poor.

“He who augments his wealth by interest and increase”: “Augments his wealth” means to increase or cause his wealth to grow. The two words translated “interest” and “increase” are used in the Old Testament passages cited above, but the difference in their meanings is not made clear. In translation it is not necessary to express these words as different kinds of charges made on loans. The sense for both terms is well expressed in English as “high interest rates” (Contemporary English Version).

“Gathers it for him who is kind to the poor”: “Gathers it” means makes or stores up wealth. “For him” may have in mind “for one of the lender’s heirs.” However, the sense of the line in general terms is that the ill-gotten gain is destined to go to someone else who is “kind to the poor”, that is, “who will give it as a gift to the poor.” See Good News Translation for a model translation. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “He who piles up riches by charging interest, piles it up for the one who shows mercy for the poor.” This saying may also be rendered, for example, “If you make people who owe you money pay interest, and you force people to pay up, perhaps your wealth will increase, but someone else will get it and use it to help those who are poor.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .