New International Version Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel. New Living Translation Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth. English Standard Version Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel. Berean Standard Bible Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel. Berean Literal Bible The bread of deceit is sweet to a man, and afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. King James Bible Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. New King James Version Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. New American Standard Bible Bread obtained by a lie is sweet to a person, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. NASB 1995 Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. NASB 1977 Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. Legacy Standard Bible Bread obtained by lying is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. Amplified Bible Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel [just as sin may be sweet at first, but later its consequences bring despair]. Berean Annotated Bible Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel. Christian Standard Bible Food gained by fraud is sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth is full of gravel. Holman Christian Standard Bible Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth is full of gravel. American Standard Version Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Contemporary English Version The food you get by cheating may taste delicious, but it turns to gravel. English Revised Version Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. GOD'S WORD® Translation Food gained dishonestly tastes sweet to a person, but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel. Good News Translation What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand. International Standard Version Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but later his mouth will be full of gravel. NET Bible Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. New Heart English Bible Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel. Webster's Bible Translation Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFood gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel. World English Bible Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionThe bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, "" And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel. Berean Literal Bible The bread of deceit is sweet to a man, and afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. Young's Literal Translation Sweet to a man is the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled with gravel. Smith's Literal Translation Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; and afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Catholic Public Domain Version The bread of lies is sweet to a man. But afterwards, his mouth will be filled with pebbles. New American Bible Bread earned by deceit is sweet, but afterward the mouth is filled with gravel. New Revised Standard Version Bread gained by deceit is sweet, but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleHe who becomes surety for a man by means of deceitful gain will afterwards have his mouth filled with gravel. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated He pledges security to a man with deceitful bread, and after that, his mouth will be filled with pebbles. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Wine is a Mocker…16Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner. 17Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel. 18Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.… Cross References Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, Proverbs 9:17 “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!” Proverbs 21:6 Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit. Proverbs 11:1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight. but later his mouth is full of gravel. Lamentations 3:16 He has ground my teeth with gravel and trampled me in the dust. Proverbs 23:8 You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words. Job 20:15-16 He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach. / He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him. Proverbs 10:2 Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death. Proverbs 23:3-4 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive. / Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 28:22 A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him. Job 20:12-15 Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue, / though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, / yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him. … Jeremiah 17:11 Like a partridge hatching eggs it did not lay is the man who makes a fortune unjustly. In the middle of his days his riches will desert him, and in the end he will be the fool.” Micah 6:10-13 Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed? / Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights? / For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths. … Isaiah 44:20 He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?” Hosea 12:7-8 A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands. / And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become! I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors, they can find in me no iniquity that is sinful.” Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. … Treasury of Scripture Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Jump to Previous Afterward Afterwards Bread Deceit Ends Falsehood Filled Food Fraud Fraudulent Full Gained Gravel Mouth Obtained Sand Sweet TastesJump to Next Afterward Afterwards Bread Deceit Ends Falsehood Filled Food Fraud Fraudulent Full Gained Gravel Mouth Obtained Sand Sweet TastesProverbs 20 1. Proper LivingFood gained by fraud is sweet to a man, Dishonest gain can bring immediate relief or pleasure, especially when it provides a basic need such as food. Yet what is acquired through theft, deception, or false dealing carries the corruption of the sin that produced it. Israel’s law condemned such conduct because it violated both God’s commands and the well-being of one’s neighbor. Pro 9:17 “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!” but later his mouth is full of gravel. The pleasure soon turns to pain. Gravel in the mouth pictures the bitterness, discomfort, and ruin that follow deceitful gain. What seemed satisfying becomes a source of regret and judgment, for wrongdoing does not escape its consequences. Lam 3:16 He has ground my teeth with gravel and trampled… Persons / Places / Events 1. The Deceptive PersonThis individual seeks to gain through dishonest means, finding temporary satisfaction in their deceit. 2. The Victim Although not directly mentioned, the victim is implied as the one who suffers loss due to the deceptive actions of another. 3. The Consequence The metaphorical "mouth full of gravel" represents the inevitable negative outcome of deceitful actions. Teaching Points The Illusion of Immediate GratificationDeceptive gains may seem sweet initially, but they are fleeting and lead to regret. The Inevitable Consequences of Deceit Just as gravel is unpleasant and harmful in the mouth, so are the outcomes of dishonest actions. The Call to Integrity Christians are called to live with integrity, trusting that God will provide for their needs without resorting to deceit. The Importance of Long-term Perspective Focusing on eternal values rather than temporary pleasures helps believers avoid the pitfalls of dishonesty. The Role of Repentance and Restoration When one has engaged in deceit, repentance and seeking to make amends are crucial steps in restoring integrity. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Proverbs 20:17?2. How does Proverbs 20:17 warn against deceitful gain in our daily lives? 3. What are the consequences of deceitful actions according to Proverbs 20:17? 4. How does Proverbs 20:17 connect with the Eighth Commandment, "You shall not steal"? 5. In what ways can we ensure our gains are honest and God-honoring? 6. How can Proverbs 20:17 guide us in resisting the temptation of deceit? 7. What does Proverbs 20:17 mean by "bread gained by deceit"? 8. How does Proverbs 20:17 relate to the concept of honesty in business? 9. Why does Proverbs 20:17 compare deceitful gain to "gravel" in the mouth? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 20? Verse 17. - Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; Revised Version, bread of falsehood; i.e. bread gained without labour, or by unrighteous means (comp. Proverbs 10:2). This is agreeable because it is easily won, and has the relish of forbidden fruit. "Wickedness is sweet in his mouth" (Job 20:12). But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. He will find in his "bread" no nourishment, but rather discomfort and positive injury (comp. Job 20:14). The expression, "to eat gravel," is intimated in Lamentations 3:16, "He hath broken my teeth with gravel stones;" it implies grievous disappointment and unprofitableness. See here a warning against evil plesaures - Φεῦγ ἡδονὴν φέρουσαν ὕστερον βλάβην "Sperne voluptates: nocet empta dolore voluptas." Oort supposes that the gnome in the text is derived from a riddle, which asked, "What is sweet at first, but afterwards like sand in the mouth?" Proverbs 20:17 warns that stolen sweetness cannot last. Ill-gotten gain may thrill for a moment, but God’s unchanging justice turns the flavor to gravel. Honesty, though sometimes slower and harder, spares us the broken teeth of regret and fills us instead with lasting satisfaction and the blessing of a clear conscience.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Foodלֶ֣חֶם (le·ḥem) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain gained by fraud שָׁ֑קֶר (šā·qer) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8267: Deception, disappointment, falsehood is sweet עָרֵ֣ב (‘ā·rêḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 6149: To be sweet or pleasing to a man, לָ֭אִישׁ (lā·’îš) Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person but later וְ֝אַחַ֗ר (wə·’a·ḥar) Conjunctive waw | Adverb Strong's 310: The hind or following part his mouth פִ֥יהוּ (p̄î·hū) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to is full of יִמָּֽלֵא־ (yim·mā·lê-) Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of gravel. חָצָֽץ׃ (ḥā·ṣāṣ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 2687: Something cutting, gravel, an arrow Additonal Resources Proverbs 20:17 Blue Letter BibleProverbs 20:17 Bible Gateway Proverbs 20:17 Bible.com Proverbs 20:17 NIV |
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