“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
Parallel translations
- WEB “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
- KJV It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
- BSB “Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out, he gloats.
- NKJV “It is good for nothing,” cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
- NLT The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain!
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 buyer disparages goods to drive down the price, then boasts of his bargain afterward. It matters as a sharp observation of dishonest dealing.
Overview
The proverb exposes the deceit common in haggling — pretending the goods are worthless to cheat the seller, then bragging once the deal is done. It quietly condemns such double-dealing, consistent with the chapter's concern for honest weights and integrity (20:10, 23). True wisdom deals truthfully rather than manipulating others for gain.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 1 Th 4:6that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
- Hos 12:7–8A merchant has dishonest scales in his hand. He loves to defraud.
- Eccl 1:10Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new?” It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 20:14 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.