King James Version

Proverbs 23:5

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

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Hebrew

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התעוףhtvfflyעוּףparticle, interrogative, verb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “fly”, an unfinished actionH5774to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning)brandish, be (wax) faint, flee away, fly (away), [idiom] set, shine forth, weary.הֲתָ֤עִיףhataifflyעוּףparticle, interrogative, verb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “fly”, an unfinished actionH5774to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning)brandish, be (wax) faint, flee away, fly (away), [idiom] set, shine forth, weary.עֵינֶ֥יךָeyneykhaeye , , -sightעַיִןnoun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…בּ֗וֹbvoinבּ֗וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in”inוְֽאֵ֫ינֶ֥נּוּveeynenvand elseאַיִןconjunction, particle, negative, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).כִּ֤יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…עָשֹׂ֣הasodoעָשָׂהverb, qal, infinitive absolute — “do”, the verb used for emphasisH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…יַעֲשֶׂהyaasehdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do”, an unfinished actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…לּ֣וֹlvotoלּ֣וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toכְנָפַ֑יִםkhenafayimwingכָּנָףnoun, common, feminine, dual, absolute — “wing”, the ordinary formH3671an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle[phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁרkenesheras eagleנֶשֶׁרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as eagle”, the ordinary formH5404the eagle (or other large bird of prey)eagle.ועיףvyfand flyעוּףconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and fly”, a completed action in a sequenceH5774to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning)brandish, be (wax) faint, flee away, fly (away), [idiom] set, shine forth, weary.יָע֥וּףyaufflyעוּףverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “fly”, an unfinished actionH5774to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning)brandish, be (wax) faint, flee away, fly (away), [idiom] set, shine forth, weary.הַשָּׁמָֽיִםhashamayimthe heavenשָׁמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone; for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

Young’s Literal Translation

For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.

World English Bible

Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

Darby Translation

wilt thou set thine eyes upon it, it is gone; for indeed it maketh itself wings and it flieth away as an eagle towards the heavens.

Douay-Rheims

Lift not up thy eyes to riches which thou canst not have: because they shall make themselves wings like those of an eagle, and shall fly towards heaven.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone; for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐὰν ἐπιστήσῃς τὸ σὸν ὄμμα πρὸς αὐτὸν, οὐδαμοῦ φανεῖται· κατεσκεύασται γὰρ αὐτῷ πτέρυγες ὥσπερ ἀετοῦ, καὶ ὑποστρέφει εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ προεστηκότος αὐτοῦ.