Proverbs 9:3

9:3 She has sent out her female servants;

she calls out on the highest places ¹  of the city.

Proverbs 21:13

21:13 The one who shuts his ears ²  to the cry ³  of the poor,

he too will cry out and will not be answered. ⁴ 

[9:3]  ¹ tn The text uses two synonymous terms in construct to express the superlative degree.

[21:13]  ² 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.

[21:13]  ³ sn “Cry” here would be a metonymy of effect for the cause, the cause being the great needs of the poor.

[21:13]  ⁴ 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).