A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.
Parallel translations
- WEB A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
- KJV The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the 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.
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 15:16–17He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
- Num 21:5The people spoke against God, and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread.”
- Num 11:18–20“Say to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, and you will eat meat; for you have wept in the ears of Yahweh, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore Yahweh will give you meat, and you will eat.
- Num 11:4–9The mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, “Who will give us meat to eat?
- John 6:9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these among so many?”
- Job 6:7My soul refuses to touch them. They are as loathsome food to me.
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.