A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
Parallel translations
- WEB A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
- BSB A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
- NKJV A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
- NASB A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
- NLT A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A bribe seems like a magic charm to the one who offers it, appearing to guarantee success. It matters because the proverb candidly describes, without endorsing, how bribery tempts and deceives.
Overview
This proverb observes how a bribe looks like a precious, effective stone in the eyes of the giver, seeming to ensure prosperity wherever he turns. Read as a sober description rather than approval, it exposes the seductive logic of corruption. Proverbs elsewhere plainly condemns bribery and the perversion of justice (Proverbs 17:23; Exodus 23:8).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Exod 23:8And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
- Mic 7:3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
- Deut 16:19Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
- Prov 21:14A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
- Prov 17:23A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
- Amos 5:12For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
- Isa 1:23Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
- 1 Sam 25:35So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.
- Gen 43:11And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
- Gen 33:9–11And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
- 2 Sam 16:1–4And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
- Ps 29:4The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
- Ps 19:6His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
- Ps 18:16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
- Ps 21:13Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 17:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.