for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
Parallel translations
- WEB for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
- KJV For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
- NKJV For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
- NASB For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.
- NLT They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.
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 grudging host's friendly words mask a heart that is not really with you.
Overview
This exposes the hypocrisy of the stingy host: his outward invitation contradicts his inward calculation of cost. The proverb teaches that a person's true self lies in his inner thoughts, not just his words. It anticipates Christ's teaching that the heart, not mere appearances, defines a person (Matt. 15:18-19).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ps 12:2They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Ps 55:21His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
- Judg 16:15“How can you say, ‘I love you,’” she asked, “when your heart is not with me? This is the third time you have mocked me and failed to reveal to me the source of your great strength!”
- Matt 9:3–4On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”
- Luke 11:37–54As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.
- Luke 7:39When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”
- Dan 11:27And the two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time.
- Prov 19:22The desire of a man is loving devotion; better to be poor than a liar.
- 2 Sam 13:26–28“If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked.
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 23:7 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.