Proverbs 21:17

17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

Proverbs 21:17 in Other Translations

KJV
17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
ESV
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
NLT
17 Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.
MSG
17 You're addicted to thrills? What an empty life! The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.
CSB
17 The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man; whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.

Proverbs 21:17 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 21:17

He that loveth pleasure [shall be] a poor man
Or "sport"


FOOTNOTES:

F3 and pastime, music and dancing, cards and dice, hunting and hawking, and other sensual gratifications; a man that indulges himself in these things, and spends his time and his money in such a way, is very likely to be a poor man, and generally is so in the issue; he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich;
that is, that loves them immoderately; otherwise in moderation they may be both loved and used; "wine" and "oil" are put for high living, luxurious feasts, costly entertainments; which being so, and continually made, will not suffer a man to be rich. The sense is, that an epicure, one that makes a god of his belly, that is both a winebibber and a glutton, that indulges to rich eating and drinking, in course lessens his substance, and leaves little for his heir: and this holds good with respect to spiritual as to temporal things; such persons are poor, and not rich in spiritual things, that indulge to carnal pleasure, and the gratification of their sensual appetite.
F3 (hxmv) "laetitiam", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Cocceius, Schultens.

Proverbs 21:17 In-Context

15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence comes to rest in the company of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Pr 23:20-21,29-35
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