Proverbs 20:14"It's no good, it's no good," says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
The setting
Ancient Jerusalem marketplace, ~950 BC. Merchants and buyers haggling over grain, cloth, and livestock in the city gates where commerce happened...
The emotion here: amused but concerned at human nature's predictable deceptions
The original word
ra' (רַע) — bad, worthless, evil; same word used for moral evil and poor quality
Why it matters
Ancient Middle Eastern bargaining could take hours, with elaborate shows of disinterest
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 20:14
The buyer's 'boasting' later reveals the transaction was actually profitable for him
Common misconceptionPeople think this condemns all negotiation, but it's actually about the hypocrisy of claiming something is worthless while secretly knowing its value.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 20:14
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 20:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 20:14 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is seeking, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include honesty, business ethics. Notable phrases: it's no good; then he boasts.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 20:14 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 "seeking"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.