The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
Parallel translations
- WEB One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
- KJV He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
- NKJV He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
- NASB One who works his land will have plenty of food, But one who follows empty pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
- NLT A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.
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
Hard, honest work brings plenty, but chasing empty schemes brings poverty. It commends diligence and warns against pursuing fantasies.
Overview
The proverb contrasts the abundant food of the diligent farmer with the poverty of the one who chases worthless fantasies. It dignifies steady labor and warns against get-rich illusions. This reflects the biblical pattern that faithful, ordinary diligence is honored by God, who calls His people to work heartily as serving the Lord (Colossians 3:23).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Prov 12:11The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
- Prov 27:23–27Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds;
- Prov 13:20He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
- Judg 9:4So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired some worthless and reckless men to follow him.
- Prov 14:4Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
- Luke 15:12–17The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
- Prov 23:20–21Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on 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 28:19 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.