King James Version

Proverbs 14:23

In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

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Hebrew

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בְּכָלbekhalin allכֹּלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).עֶ֭צֶבetsevgrievousעֶצֶבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “grievous”, the ordinary formH6089an earthen vessel; usually (painful) toil; also a pang (whether of body or mind)grievous, idol, labor, sorrow.יִהְיֶ֣הyihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.מוֹתָ֑רmotarplenteousnessמוֹתָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “plenteousness”, the ordinary formH4195literally gain; figuratively, superiorityplenteousness, preeminence, profit.וּדְבַרudevarand causeדָּבָרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִםsefatayimlanguageשָׂפָהnoun, common, feminine, dual, absolute — “language”, the ordinary formH8193the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.אַךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).לְמַחְסֽוֹרlemachsorto lackמַחְסוֹרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to lack”, the ordinary formH4270deficiency; hence, impoverishmentlack, need, penury, poor, poverty, want.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

In all labor there is profit; But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Young’s Literal Translation

In all labour there is advantage, And a thing of the lips [is] only to want.

World English Bible

In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

Darby Translation

In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips [tendeth] only to want.

Douay-Rheims

In much work there shall be abundance: but where there are many words, there is oftentimes want.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

With every one who is careful there is abundance: but the pleasure-taking and indolent shall be in want.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐν παντὶ μεριμνῶντι ἔνεστι περισσόν, ὁ δὲ ἡδὺς καὶ ἀνάλγητος ἐν ἐνδείᾳ ἔσται.