Darby Bible
Proverbs 23:4
4Weary not thyself to become rich; cease from thine own intelligence:
Proverbs 23:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!
Context of Proverbs 23:4
2and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. 3Be not desirous of his dainties; for they are deceitful food. Weary not thyself to become rich; cease from thine own intelligence: 5wilt thou set thine eyes upon it, it is gone; for indeed it maketh itself wings and it flieth away as an eagle towards the heavens. 6Eat thou not the food of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties.
Read all of Proverbs 23Proverbs 23:4 word by word
אַל־תִּיגַ֥ע לְֽהַעֲשִׁ֑יר מִֽבִּינָתְךָ֥ חֲדָֽל׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Proverbs 23:4
- Proverbs 28:20A faithful man aboundeth with blessings; but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
- John 6:27Work not [for] the food which perishes, but [for] the food which abides unto life eternal, which the Son of man shall give to you; for him has the Father sealed, [even] God.
- 1 Timothy 6:8But having sustenance and covering, we will be content with these.
- Proverbs 3:5Confide in Jehovah with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own intelligence;
- Proverbs 26:12Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
- Isaiah 5:21Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and intelligent in their own esteem!
- Romans 11:25For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, that ye may not be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the nations be come in;
- Romans 12:16Have the same respect one for another, not minding high things, but going along with the lowly: be not wise in your own eyes:
Commentaries on Proverbs 23:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Labour not to be rich - Let not this be thy object. Labour to provide things honest in the sight of God and all men; and if thou get wealth, do not forget the poor, else God's curse will be a canker even in thy gold. Cease from thine own wisdom - בינתך binathecha, thy own understanding or prudence. The world says, "Get rich if thou canst, and how thou canst." Rem, si possis, recte; si non, quocunque modo rem; "Get a fortune honestly if thou canst; but if…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Cease from thine own wisdom - i. e., “Cease from the use of what is in itself most excellent, if it only serves to seek after wealth, and so ministers to evil.” There is no special contrast between “thine own wisdom” and that given from above, though it is of course implied that in ceasing from his own prudence the man is on the way to attain a higher wisdom.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-5Verses 4-5 Be not of those that will be rich. The things of this world are not happiness and a portion for a soul; those that hold them ever so fast, cannot hold them always, cannot hold them long.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5Saying 7: Wealth can be a blessing from God (Proverbs 3:9–10, 15–16; 10:22), but some things in life matter more.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. (Compare 1Ti 6:9, 10). thine own wisdom--which regards riches intrinsically as a blessing.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 23:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 23
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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