Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
Parallel translations
- WEB Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble is like a bad tooth, or a lame foot.
- BSB Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
- NKJV Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
- NASB Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot Is confidence in a treacherous person in time of trouble.
- NLT Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.
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
Relying on an unfaithful person in a crisis is like trusting a bad tooth or lame foot. False support fails when most needed.
Overview
The painful images of a broken tooth and a foot that gives way show that misplaced confidence collapses precisely in the hour of need. Wisdom urges discernment about whom we trust. It implicitly directs our ultimate confidence to the Lord, who never fails his people (Ps 18:2; Heb 13:5).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Isa 36:6Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
- Ezek 29:6–7And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.
- Job 6:14–20To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
- 2 Tim 4:16At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
- 2 Chr 28:20–21And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
- Isa 30:1–3Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
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 25:19 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.