New English Translation
Proverbs 9:17
17“Stolen waters are sweet, and food obtained in 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
15calling out to those who are passing by her in the way, who go straight on their way. 16“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here,” she says to those who lack understanding. “Stolen waters are sweet, and food obtained in secret is pleasant!” 18But they do not realize that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.
Read all of Proverbs 9Proverbs 9:17 word by word
מַֽיִם־גְּנוּבִ֥ים יִמְתָּ֑קוּ וְלֶ֖חֶם סְתָרִ֣ים יִנְעָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 9:17
- Proverbs 20:17Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
- Proverbs 23:31Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
- Genesis 3:6When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
- Romans 7:8But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong desires. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
- James 1:14But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.
- Proverbs 7:18Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning, let’s delight ourselves with sexual intercourse.
- Proverbs 30:20This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have not done wrong.”
- 2 Kings 5:24When he arrived at the hill, he took them from the servants and put them in the house. Then he sent the men on their way.
- Ephesians 5:12For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention.
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
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