Proverbs 28:19
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The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
19 He who cultivateth his land is satisfied with bread, And he that graspeth after vanities is satisfied with poverty. A variation of Pro 12:11. The pred. here corresponds to its contrast. On רישׁ (here and at Pro 31:7), instead of the more frequent ראשׁ, cf. Pro 10:4.
Open source ↗Note, 1. Those that are diligent in their callings take the way to live comfortably: He that tills his land, and tends his shop, and minds his business, whatever it is, he shall have plenty of bread, of that which is necessary for himself and his family and with which he may be charitable to the poor; he shall eat the labour of his hands. 2. Those that are idle, and careless, and company-keepers, though they indulge themselves in living (as they think) easily and pleasantly, they take the way to live miserably. He that has land and values himself upon that, but does not till it, but follows after vain persons, drinks with them, joins with them in their frolics and vain sports, and idles away his time with him, he shall have poverty enough, shall be satiated or replenished with poverty (so the word is); he takes those courses which lead so directly to it that he seems to court it, and he shall have his fill of it.
Open source ↗28:19 This proverb is repeated but with a different conclusion in 12:11.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.