Mishlei 22: עשיר and דל

(1) A good name is preferable to great wealth, and Grace/goodly favor is better than silver and gold.

(2) The Rich man and the poor man meet; God is maker of them all.

(4) The result of humility is awe of God, Wealth, respect, and life.

(7) The rich man dominates the poor, And a borrower is enslaved to the lender.

(9) One with a good eye -- a generous person -- is blessed, because he has given of his bread to the poor.

We will revisit this verse inn Chapter 23, as well.

(16) One who oppresses the poor for his own profit, or who gives gifts to the wealthy —causes only loss.

(22) Do not rob the poor because he *is* poor; Do not oppress the poor person at the gate.

(1) Ben Zoma said:Who is wise? He who learns from every man, as it is said: “From all who taught me have I gained understanding” (Psalms 119:99). Who is mighty? He who subdues his [evil] inclination, as it is said: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city” (Proverbs 16:3). Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as it is said: “You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors, you shall be happy and you shall prosper” (Psalms 128:2) “You shall be happy” in this world, “and you shall prosper” in the world to come. Who is he that is honored? He who honors his fellow human beings as it is said: “For I honor those that honor Me, but those who spurn Me shall be dishonored” (I Samuel 2:30).

(22) Thus said the LORD: Let not the wise man congratulate himself on his wisdom; Let not the strong man congratulate himself on his strength; Let not the rich man congratulate himself on his riches.

(23) But only in this should one pride oneself: Be smart, and know Me. For I am God, who performs kindness, Justice, and equity in the world; For in these I take pleasure —declares God.

...Know that wisdom, counsel and strength are trivial before God, and the fact that a person thinks he will be able to save himself by means of his wisdom or his strategies or his wealth -- that he will redeem himself from trouble with his money -- or by means of his strength; all this will accomplish nothing if God determines that something bad should happen to the person.

However, there is a situation in which a person actually may congratulate himself on his wisdom, strength and wealth -- and that is if he uses them for productive purposes. If he understand what is given to him to be tools and resources by means of which he can become more perfectly developed [as a person], i.e., that he uses his intelligence to gain insight and knowledge of God, that by understanding the laws of wisdom he can reach greater knowledge of Hashem; and with his strength and wealth he does "Chessed and justice and charitable work throughout the land", -- that he uses his strength to defend the rights of the oppressed, and uses his wealth to do kindness and give charity --

-- These are what I value, says God, and that is the purpose that I seek [in giving these gifts].

Furthermore, we can explain that one who flatters himself on his wisdom, strength or wealth, is flattering himself for something he did not achieve himself, and is not a function of his free will. It came from God, who designed the nature of his mind for wisdom, and the nature of his body for strength, and his environment and background for wealth. It is absurd, like one who compliments himself about an item that was deposited with him for safekeeping, which does not even belong to him, but to its owner, and if any compliments are due, they are due to the owner. But if he uses the three gifts to know God and to do Chessed, Mishpat and Tzedaka, which are a function of his free will (for everything is in the hands of Heaven except for awe of God/free will), then praise is in fact due to him.

This is what is meant by "these are what I desire". With God, no one can justify themselves by saying that God actually wants such-and-such thing, because as soon as God wills anything, it becomes reality and none can prevent that. However, God has illustrated the idea that He desires that people have awe of Him, and has left that to our free Will, therefore it can be described as something God "wants".