American Standard Version
Proverbs 9:17
17Stolen waters are sweet,And breadeatenin secret is pleasant.
Proverbs 9:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
- New International Version (NIV)“Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
Context of Proverbs 9:17
15To call to them that pass by, Who go right on their ways: 16Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; And as for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him, Stolen waters are sweet, And breadeatenin secret is pleasant. 18But he knoweth not that the dead are there; That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Read all of Proverbs 9Proverbs 9:17 word by word
מַֽיִם־גְּנוּבִ֥ים יִמְתָּ֑קוּ וְלֶ֖חֶם סְתָרִ֣ים יִנְעָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Proverbs 9:17
- Proverbs 20:17Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
- Proverbs 23:31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly:
- Genesis 3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
- Romans 7:8but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin is dead.
- James 1:14but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
- Proverbs 7:18Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with loves.
- Proverbs 30:20So is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, I have done no wickedness.
- 2 Kings 5:24And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed.
- Ephesians 5:12for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of.
Commentaries on Proverbs 9:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Stolen waters are sweet - I suppose this to be a proverbial mode of expression, importing that illicit pleasures are sweeter than those which are legal The meaning is easy to be discerned; and the conduct of multitudes shows that they are ruled by this adage. On it are built all the adulterous intercourses in the land.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17The besetting sin of all times and countries, the one great proof of the inherent corruption of man‘s nature. Pleasures are attractive because they are forbidden (compare Romans 7:7).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 How diligent the tempter is, to seduce unwary souls into sin! Carnal, sensual pleasure, stupifies conscience, and puts out the sparks of conviction. This tempter has no solid reason to offer; and where she gets dominion in a soul, all knowledge of holy things is lost and forgotten. She is very violent and pressing. We need to seek and pray for true wisdom, for Satan has many ways to withdraw our souls from Christ. Not only worldly lusts and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Just like Wisdom, Folly has prepared a banquet for her guests (see Proverbs 9:2–5). However, this meal is deceitful and immoral.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. The language of a proverb, meaning that forbidden delights are sweet and pleasant, as fruits of risk and danger.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 9:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries