Proverbs 14:23

23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 14:23 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
English Standard Version (ESV)
23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
New Living Translation (NLT)
23 Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!
The Message Bible (MSG)
23 Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table.
American Standard Version (ASV)
23 In all labor there is profit; But the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
23 In hard work there is always something gained, but idle talk leads only to poverty.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
23 There is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
23 All hard work pays off. But if all you do is talk, you will be poor.

Proverbs 14:23 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 14:23

In all labour there is profit
Or "abundance" F21; much is got by it, food, raiment, riches, wealth, wisdom, honour; either with the labour of the hands or head, and nothing is to be got without labour; and he that is laborious in his calling, whether it be by manual operation, working with his hands that which is good; or by hard study, much reading, and constant meditation, is like to gain much for his own use and the good of others; but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury;
or "want" F23, of food and raiment, the common necessaries of life; a man that spends his time in idle talk, boasting of what he can do and does, and yet does nothing, is in a fair way to come to beggary: so all talk about wisdom, and knowledge, and religion, without making use of the proper means of improvement, tends to the poverty of the mind; and generally they are most empty of knowledge, natural or spiritual, that talk and brag most of it; empty casks make the greatest sound; good discourse, wholesome words, sound doctrine, thoroughly digested, tend indeed to edification, to the enriching of the mind; but vain words, the enticing words of men's wisdom; logomachies, striving about words to no profit; and all great swelling words of vanity, which are all mere lip labour; they tend to spiritual poverty and leanness of soul.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (rtwm) "abundantia", Tigurine version, Baynus, Mercerus, Gejerus.
F23 (rwoxml) "ad defectum", Pagninus, Montanus; "ad egestatem", Tigurine version, Piscator, Cocceius.

Proverbs 14:23 In-Context

21 It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
22 Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.
23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.
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