“It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor”: “A lowly spirit” means “humble” or “lowly,” the opposite of “proud” or “arrogant.” “The poor” are people who suffer from lack of material goods and are the opposite of those in the second line who “divide the spoil”. New English Bible/Revised English Bible translate “the poor” as “those in need.” See the comments on 14.21. Contemporary English Version says “You are better off to be humble and poor. . ..”

“Than to divide the spoil with the proud”: “Divide the spoil” is a military expression referring to dividing the loot or goods taken from a defeated enemy. Here the expression means to be rich, having a share in the world’s wealth. “The proud” translates the same word as used in 15.25. See there for comments.

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 .