Proverbs 14:23In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. The marketplace and fields where daily laborers worked while others stood around talking about work they'd never do.
The emotion here: frustrated with people who talk big but deliver nothing
The original word
atsab (עָצַב) — painful toil, work that costs you something, not easy tasks
Why it matters
In ancient Israel, harvest time required 12-hour workdays, and those who only talked missed the profitable season
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 14:23
The contrast isn't work vs. rest - it's work vs. endless talking ABOUT work
Common misconceptionThis isn't about workaholism or loving money - it's about the dignity of doing difficult things instead of just discussing them endlessly.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 14:23
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 14:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 14:23 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is growing, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include work, diligence. Notable phrases: hard work; profit; talk of lips.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same growing
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6
“So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
— Romans 10:17
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
— John 3:30
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
“He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.”
— Genesis 15:6
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 14:23 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "growing"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.