New King James Version
Proverbs 14:10
10The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.
Proverbs 14:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
- New International Version (NIV)Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy.
Context of Proverbs 14:10
8The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, But the folly of fools is deceit. 9Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is favor. The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. 11The house of the wicked will be overthrown, But the tent of the upright will flourish. 12There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Read all of Proverbs 14Proverbs 14:10 word by word
לֵ֗ב י֭וֹדֵעַ מָרַּ֣ת נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּ֝בְשִׂמְחָת֗וֹ לֹא־יִתְעָ֥רַב זָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 14:10
- Proverbs 15:13A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
- Proverbs 18:14The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?
- 1 Samuel 1:10And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.
- 2 Kings 4:27Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me, and has not told me.”
- Job 6:2“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
- Job 7:11“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
- Job 9:18He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills me with bitterness.
- Job 10:1“My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
- Ezekiel 3:14So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.
- Mark 14:33And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.
- John 12:27“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
- Genesis 42:21Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.”
- Psalms 25:14The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.
- John 14:18I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
- Philippians 4:7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
- 1 Peter 1:8whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
Commentaries on Proverbs 14:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10The heart knoweth his own bitterness - נפשו מרת morrath naphsho, "The bitterness of its soul." Under spiritual sorrow, the heart feels, the soul feels; all the animal nature feels and suffers. But when the peace of God is spoken to the troubled soul, the joy is indescribable; the whole man partakes of it. And a stranger to these religious feelings, to the travail of the soul, and to the witness of the Spirit, does not intermeddle with them; he does not…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10A striking expression of the ultimate solitude of each man‘s soul at all times, and not merely at the hour of death. Something there is in every sorrow, and in every joy, which no one else can share. Beyond that range it is well to remember that there is a Divine Sympathy, uniting perfect knowledge and perfect love.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10Verse 10 We do not know what stings of conscience, or consuming passions, torment the prosperous sinner. Nor does the world know the peace of mind a serious Christian enjoys, even in poverty and sickness.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10No one can completely understand another person's emotions (compare Psalm 103:14; Isaiah 63:9; Nahum 1:7; Romans 8:27). Bitterness and joy are opposites in emotions. This poetic device, called merism, refers to these extremes to cover all emotions in between.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Each one best knows his own sorrows or joys.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 14:10
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 14
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries