Proverbs 20:17
15 There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
16 Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
18 Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
19 He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
- KJV
- Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
- WEB
- Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
- ASV
- Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
- DARBY
- Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
- BLB
- The bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man, and afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
- ÅB
- Brød vunnet ved svik smaker mannen søtt, men siden blir hans munn full av småsten.
- OTB
- Mat vunnet ved svik er søt, men etterpå er munnen full av grus.
- B1930
- Brød vunnet ved svik smaker mannen søtt, men siden blir hans munn full av småsten.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
Read in contextProverbs 9:17–18
“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!”
Read in contextJob 20:12–20
Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,
Read in contextLamentations 3:15–16
He has filled me with bitterness; He has intoxicated me with wormwood.
Read in contextHebrews 11:25
He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin.
Read in contextProverbs 4:17
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Read in contextGenesis 3:6–7
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
Read in context