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Saturday, October 19th, 2024
the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Proverbs 12:11

He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread,But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding. [fn]

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Company;   Fellowship;   Industry;   Vanity;   Thompson Chain Reference - Agriculture;   Agriculture-Horticulture;   Business Life;   Discernment-Dullness;   Industry;   No;   Reason;   Understanding;   Virtues;   Work, Physical;   The Topic Concordance - Following;   Labor;   Satisfaction;   Understanding;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Agriculture or Husbandry;   Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God;   Vanity;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Time;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Wealth;   Work;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fool, Foolishness, and Folly;   Proverbs, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Wisdom;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Betting;   Daniel, ḥayyaṭa;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for February 3;  

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.
Update Bible Version
He that tills his land shall have plenty of bread; But he that follows after vanities is void of understanding.
New Century Version
Those who work their land will have plenty of food, but the one who chases empty dreams is not wise.
New English Translation
The one who works his field will have plenty of food, but whoever chases daydreams lacks wisdom.
Webster's Bible Translation
He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain [persons is] void of understanding.
World English Bible
He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, But he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.
Amplified Bible
He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows worthless things lacks common sense and good judgment.
English Standard Version
Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He that worchith his lond, schal be fillid with looues; but he that sueth idilnesse, is moost fool. He that is swete, lyueth in temperaunces; and in hise monestyngis he forsakith dispisyngis.
English Revised Version
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons is void of understanding.
Berean Standard Bible
He who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
Contemporary English Version
Hard working farmers have more than enough food; daydreamers are nothing more than stupid fools.
American Standard Version
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread; But he that followeth after vain persons is void of understanding.
Bible in Basic English
He who does work on his land will not be short of bread; but he who goes after foolish men is without sense.
Complete Jewish Bible
He who farms his land will have plenty of food, but he who follows futilities has no sense.
Darby Translation
He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread; but he that followeth the worthless is void of understanding.
Easy-to-Read Version
Farmers who work their land have plenty of food, but those who waste their time on worthless projects are foolish.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He that tilleth his ground shall have plenty of bread; but he that followeth after vain things is void of understanding.
King James Version (1611)
Hee that tilleth his land, shall bee satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vaine persons, is void of vnderstanding.
New Life Bible
He who works his land will have all the bread he needs, but he who follows what is of no worth has no wisdom.
New Revised Standard
Those who till their land will have plenty of food, but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He that tilleth his lande, shalbe satisfied with bread: but he that followeth the idle, is destitute of vnderstanding.
George Lamsa Translation
He who tills his land shall be satisfied with bread; but he who follows vain pursuits lacks understanding.
Good News Translation
A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat, but it is stupid to waste time on useless projects.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He that tilleth his land, shall be filled with food, but, he that runneth after worthless men, lacketh sense.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that pursueth idleness is very foolish.
Revised Standard Version
He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits has no sense.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He that tylleth his lande, shall haue plenteousnesse of bread: but he that foloweth idlenesse is a very foole.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
He that tills his own land shall be satisfied with bread; but they that pursue vanities are void of understanding. He that enjoys himself in banquets of wine, shall leave dishonour in his own strong holds.
Christian Standard Bible®
The one who works his land will have plenty of food,but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.
Hebrew Names Version
He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, But he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.
King James Version
He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
Lexham English Bible
He who works his land will have plenty of food, but he who follows worthless things lacks sense.
Literal Translation
He who tills his land shall be satisfied with bread, but he chasing vanities lacks heart.
Young's Literal Translation
Whoso is tilling the ground is satisfied [with] bread, And whoso is pursuing vanities is lacking heart,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He that tilleth his lode, shal haue plenteousnesse of bred: but he yt foloweth ydylnes, is a very foole.
THE MESSAGE
The one who stays on the job has food on the table; the witless chase whims and fancies.
New American Standard Bible
One who works his land will have plenty of bread, But one who pursues worthless things lacks sense.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.
Legacy Standard Bible
He who cultivates his land will be satisfied with bread,But he who pursues empty things lacks a heart of wisdom.

Contextual Overview

11 He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread,But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding. [fn]

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

tilleth: Proverbs 13:23, Proverbs 14:4, Proverbs 14:23, Proverbs 27:27, Proverbs 28:19, Genesis 3:19, Psalms 128:2, Ephesians 4:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:12, 2 Thessalonians 3:8

he that followeth: Proverbs 1:10-19, Proverbs 4:14, Proverbs 4:15, Proverbs 6:32, Proverbs 7:7, Proverbs 9:6, Proverbs 9:13, Proverbs 9:16, Proverbs 13:20, Judges 9:4, Psalms 26:4, Jonah 2:8, Titus 1:10, Titus 1:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:20 - an husbandman Genesis 47:23 - here is seed 2 Chronicles 13:7 - vain men Job 31:5 - walked Proverbs 13:4 - desireth Proverbs 20:13 - Love Proverbs 24:30 - void James 2:20 - O vain 3 John 1:11 - follow

Cross-References

Genesis 12:6
Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. [fn] And the Canaanites were then in the land.
Genesis 12:7
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 12:14
So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful.
Genesis 26:7
And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, "She is my sister"; for he was afraid to say, "She is my wife," because he thought, "lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to behold."
Genesis 29:17
Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
2 Samuel 11:2
Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.
Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD.
Song of Solomon 1:14
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blooms In the vineyards of En Gedi.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread,.... This was man's work in innocence; this he was doomed to do with the sweat of his brow after his fall; every man has his land to till, or some calling, work, or business, to be employed in, either civil or sacred; and it becomes him to be diligent therein, and such as are shall not want bread, but shall have a sufficiency of it;

but he that followeth vain [persons is] void of understanding: that neglects his business, loiters away his time, spends it in the company of vain, empty, and unprofitable persons; as he shows himself by such a choice that he is void of understanding, or "wants a heart" s, to improve his time and talents; so before long it is much if he does not want a piece of bread. Thus he that is concerned to have the fallow ground of his heart ploughed up, and righteousness, truth, and holiness, sown therein, that it may bring forth fruit; or who is careful about the welfare and salvation of his immortal soul, and makes diligent use of all means to promote its spiritual good, shall be filled with the bread of life, shall find it and eat it, to the joy and rejoicing of his heart; and, on the contrary, he that associates himself with vain persons, empty of all that is spiritually good, that have only empty notions of religion; or who attend to the profane and vain boastings of antichrist, and all false teachers; and give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, whose words eat as do a canker; these, as they show themselves to want wisdom, so they are and will be brought into starving and famishing circumstances in a spiritual sense. Jarchi interprets the former clause of a man that is studious in his doctrine, that revolves it in his mind, that he may not forget it; and the Arabic version renders the last clause,

"they that run after false demons, their minds are deficient;''

see Revelation 9:20.

s חסר לב "deficiens corde", Pagninus; "carens corde", Montanus; "deficitur corde", Schultens.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The contrast is carried on between the life of industry and that of the idle, “vain person” of the “baser sort” (the “Raca” of Matthew 5:22). We might have expected that the second clause would have ended with such words as “shall lack bread,” but the contrast goes deeper. Idleness leads to a worse evil than that of hunger.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 12:11. He that tilleth his land — God's blessing will be in the labour of the honest agriculturist.

But he that followeth vain persons — He who, while he should be cultivating his ground, preparing for a future crop, or reaping his harvest, associates with fowlers, coursers of hares, hunters of foxes, or those engaged in any champaign amusements, is void of understanding; and I have known several such come to beggary.

To this verse the Septuagint add the following clause: ος εστιν ηδυς εν οινων διατριβαις, εν τοις εαυτου οχυρωμασι καταλειψει ατιμιαν. "He who is a boon companion in banquets, shall leave dishonour in his own fortresses." This has been copied by the Vulgate and the Arabic. That is The man who frequents the ale-house enriches that, while he impoverishes his own habitation.


 
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