Proverbs 30:16
14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’
- KJV
- The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
- WEB
- Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’
- ASV
- Sheol; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that saith not, Enough.
- DARBY
- Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough.
- BLB
- Sheol, and the barren womb, earth not satisfied with water, and the fire never having said, ‘Enough!’
- ÅB
- Det er dødsriket og det ufruktbare morsliv, jorden, som aldri blir mett av vann, og ilden, som aldri sier: Nok!
- OTB
- graven, det ufruktbare morslivet, jorden som aldri blir mett av vann, og ilden som aldri sier: 'Nok!'
- B1930
- Det er dødsriket og det ufruktbare morsliv, jorden, som aldri blir mett av vann, og ilden, som aldri sier: Nok!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 27:20
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Read in contextHabakkuk 2:5
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
Read in contextGenesis 30:1
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
Read in context