Proverbs 14:23

NETBible

In all hard work 1  there is profit, but merely talking about it 2  only brings 3  poverty. 4 

NIV ©

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

NASB ©

In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.

NLT ©

Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!

MSG ©

Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table.

BBE ©

In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.

NRSV ©

In all toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

NKJV ©

In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty.

KJV
In all labour
<06089>
there is profit
<04195>_:
but the talk
<01697>
of the lips
<08193>
[tendeth] only to penury
<04270>_.
NASB ©
In all
<3605>
labor
<6089>
there is profit
<4195>
, But mere
<8193>
talk
<1697>

leads
only
<389>
to poverty
<4270>
.
LXXM
en
<1722> 
PREP
panti
<3956> 
A-DSM
merimnwnti
<3309> 
V-PAPDS
enestin
<1751> 
V-PAI-3S
perisson
<4053> 
A-NSN
o
<3588> 
T-NSM
de
<1161> 
PRT
hduv {A-NSM} kai
<2532> 
CONJ
analghtov {A-NSM} en
<1722> 
PREP
endeia {N-DSF} estai
<1510> 
V-FMI-3S
NET [draft] ITL
In all
<03605>
hard work
<06089>
there is profit
<04195>
, but merely talking
<01697>
about it
<08193>
only
<0389>
brings poverty
<04270>
.
HEBREW
rwoxml
<04270>
Ka
<0389>
Mytpv
<08193>
rbdw
<01697>
rtwm
<04195>
hyhy
<01961>
bue
<06089>
lkb (14:23)
<03605>
NETBible

In all hard work 1  there is profit, but merely talking about it 2  only brings 3  poverty. 4 

NET Notes

1 sn The Hebrew term עֶצֶב (’etsev, “painful toil; labor”) is first used in scripture in Gen 3:19 to describe the effects of the Fall. The point here is that people should be more afraid of idle talk than of hard labor.

2 tn Heb “word of lips.” This construct phrase features a genitive of source (“a word from the lips”) or a subjective genitive (“speaking a word”). Talk without work (which produces nothing) is contrasted with labor that produces something.

3 tn The term “brings” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.

4 sn The noun מַחְסוֹר (makhsor, “need; thing needed; poverty”) comes from the verb “to lack; to be lacking; to decrease; to need.” A person given to idle talk rather than industrious work will have needs that go unmet.