Proverbs 21:17

17 He who ¹loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

Proverbs 21:17 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 21:17

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

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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 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

17 He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.

19 It is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 23:21