The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
Parallel translations
- WEB A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
- BSB The soul that is full loathes honey, but to a hungry soul, any bitter thing is sweet.
- NKJV A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
- NASB A satisfied person despises honey, But to a hungry person any bitter thing is sweet.
- NLT A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.
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
The satisfied reject even sweet food, while the hungry find bitter things sweet. It illustrates how appetite and contentment shape what we value.
Overview
The proverb observes that fullness breeds disdain for good things, while genuine need makes even bitterness welcome, a lesson about gratitude and the danger of complacency. Spiritually, those who feel no hunger for righteousness despise grace, while those who hunger and thirst for it are filled (Matthew 5:6). Christ is the bread of life who satisfies the truly hungry soul (John 6:35).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Luke 15:16–17And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
- Num 21:5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
- Num 11:18–20And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
- Num 11:4–9And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
- John 6:9There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
- Job 6:7The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.
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 27:7 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.