proverb · Words worth keeping
As poor as Job.
As poor as Job.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The phrase uses Job as an image of extreme poverty or loss of possessions. Its comparison draws on the biblical account of a prosperous man suffering severe losses.
Example
A reader connects the comparison with loss in the narrative while avoiding a moral judgment about a real person’s poverty.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The checked Job 1 text supplies that narrative contrast, so poor need not describe Job as always lacking resources. A responsible application recognises a dramatic comparison without treating someone’s hardship as a religious test or deserved condition. The phrase does not establish a composition date, an actual historical fortune or a required response to poverty.
When to use it
Use it to discuss deprivation through a named biblical comparison.
Keep in mind
The image is not a verified historical biography or proof that suffering is deserved.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English