God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 21:6
6Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time. They are looking for death.
Proverbs 21:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
- New International Version (NIV)A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.
Context of Proverbs 21:6
4A conceited look and an arrogant attitude, which are the lamps of wicked people, are sins. 5The plans of a hard-working person lead to prosperity, but everyone who is ⌞always⌟ in a hurry ends up in poverty. Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time. They are looking for death. 7The violence of wicked people will drag them away since they refuse to do what is just. 8The way of a guilty person is crooked, but the behavior of those who are pure is moral.
Read all of Proverbs 21Proverbs 21:6 word by word
פֹּ֣עַל א֭וֹצָרוֹת בִּלְשׁ֣וֹן שָׁ֑קֶר הֶ֥בֶל נִ֝דָּ֗ף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The gettingפֹּ֫עַלpô‛al · workH6467
- of treasuresאוֹצָר'ôtsâr · treasureH214
- by a lyingשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
- tongueלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
- a vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
- tossed to and fro ofנָדַףnâdaph · to driveH5086
- them that seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
Cross-references for Proverbs 21:6
- Proverbs 10:2Treasures gained dishonestly profit no one, but righteousness rescues from death.
- Proverbs 13:11Wealth ⌞gained⌟ through injustice dwindles away, but whoever gathers little by little has plenty.
- Proverbs 20:14“Bad! Bad!” says the buyer. Then, as he goes away, he brags ⌞about his bargain⌟.
- Proverbs 22:8Whoever plants injustice will harvest trouble, and this weapon of his own fury will be destroyed.
- Proverbs 30:8Keep vanity and lies far away from me. Don’t give me either poverty or riches. Feed me ⌞only⌟ the food I need,
- Jeremiah 17:11A person who gets rich dishonestly is like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay. During his lifetime, he will lose his wealth. In the end, he will be a godless fool.”
- 1 Timothy 6:9But people who want to get rich keep falling into temptation. They are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires which drown them in destruction and ruin.
- 2 Peter 2:3In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. The verdict against them from long ago is still in force, and their destruction is not asleep.
- Proverbs 8:36Whoever sins against me harms himself. All those who hate me love death.”
- Ezekiel 18:31Stop all the rebellious things that you are doing. Get yourselves new hearts and new spirits. Why do you want to die, nation of Israel?
Commentaries on Proverbs 21:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Of them that seek death - Instead of מבקשי mebakshey, "them that seek," several MSS., some ancient editions, with Symmachus, the Septuagint, Vulgate, and Arabic, have מקשי mokeshey, the snares. He who gets treasures by a lying tongue, pursues vanity into the snares of death. Our common translation may be as good. But he who, by the snares of his tongue, endeavors to buy and sell to the best advantage, is pursuing what is empty in itself; and he is…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Vanity - Or, “a breath driven to and fro of those that are seeking death.” Another reading of the last words is: “of the snares of death” (compare 1 Timothy 6:9). Some commentators have suggested that the “vapor” or “mist” is the mirage of the desert, misleading those who follow it, and becoming a “net of death.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6Verse 6 While men seek wealth by unlawful practices, they seek death.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. The getting--or, "what is obtained" (compare Job 7:2; Jr 22:13, Hebrew). vanity ... to and fro--as fleeting as chaff or stubble in the wind (compare Pr 20:17-21; Psa 62:10). Such gettings are unsatisfactory. them ... death--act as if they did (Pr 8:36; 17:19).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 21:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 21
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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