Proverbs 23:8 — Word Study
WLCפִּֽתְּךָ־ אָכַ֥לְתָּ תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה וְ֝שִׁחַ֗תָּ דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ הַנְּעִימִֽים׃
BSAYou will vomit upqôwʼ▸ [spue out, throw back] what littlepath [a morsel, a small piece] you have eatenʼâkal■ [devoured, consumed] and wasteshâchath [lose, ruin] your pleasantnâʻîym [sweet, delightful] wordsdâbâr [sayings, expressions]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| פִּֽתְּךָ־ | morsel your | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| אָכַ֥לְתָּ | [which] you have eaten | Verb, Qal, perfect second person masculine singular |
| תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה | you will vomit up it | Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular, suffix |
| וְ֝שִׁחַ֗תָּ | and you will spoil | Verb, Piel, sequential perfect second person masculine singular |
| דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ | words your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| הַנְּעִימִֽים׃ | pleasant | Particle |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words. |
| KJV | The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. |
| ASV | The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, And lose thy sweet words. |
| YLT | Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that [are] sweet. |
| WEB | You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words. |
| BBE | The food which you have taken will come up again, and your pleasing words will be wasted. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of one main clause followed by two subordinate phrases, indicating the sequence of actions and their consequences.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbאָכַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 23:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Warnings Against Deceptiongenerated
Proverbs 23:8 cautions against the consequences of eating from a deceitful source. The verse highlights that one will ultimately reject what they have consumed and squander their valuable words. This fits within the broader context of Proverbs, which often advises on the importance of wisdom and the dangers of folly, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
The Key Word — פַּת, pi.te.kha-generated
The word פַּת (pat) refers to a small piece of food, particularly bread. It emphasizes the idea of a morsel, suggesting something that is easily consumed but not substantial. The parsing indicates it is a noun in the construct state, meaning it is linked to the following word, ךָ (kha), meaning 'your'.
This word is often used in contexts where sharing a meal is involved, highlighting the importance of what we consume both physically and metaphorically. In this verse, it underscores the idea that even a small amount of deceit can lead to significant consequences.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses morsel for פַּת and vomit up for תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in this verse is תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה (teki'ena), meaning 'you will vomit up'. This governs the entire sentence, with two phrases following it: a noun phrase indicating what is vomited and another verb phrase describing the action of ruining the words.
The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions: first, the consumption of a morsel, followed by the act of vomiting it up, and finally, the ruining of pleasant words. The order highlights the cause-and-effect relationship between deceitful consumption and regret.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה with ἐχεμέσει, which suggests a similar meaning of throwing up or rejecting something consumed. This choice aligns with the literal sense of the Hebrew term, reinforcing the idea of expelling what is harmful.
The Greek word choice indicates a direct relationship to the Hebrew, maintaining the core message of the verse about the consequences of consuming deceitful food.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 23:8 warns that if you eat from a deceitful source, you will regret it and lose your valuable words. The verse emphasizes the consequences of consuming something harmful, leading to a waste of what is precious.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It refers to rejecting or regretting the harmful things you have taken in, especially from deceitful sources.
Pleasant words are lost when one consumes deceit, as the focus shifts to regret rather than meaningful expression.
It fits within a larger warning about the dangers of associating with deceitful individuals and the consequences of such actions.
We learn the importance of being cautious about what we consume, both physically and metaphorically, and the potential consequences of our choices.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some examples of things I have consumed that led to regret?
- How can I ensure that my words are always pleasant and valuable?
- In what ways can I be more discerning about the sources from which I receive information?
- How does this verse challenge me to reflect on my associations and their impact on my life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary from Bede discusses the implications of consuming deceitful thoughts and the need for repentance.
The food you have eaten you will vomit, etc. The perverse thoughts you had learned from heretics, you must either abandon by correction through repentance, or after death be compelled to suffer punishment for them,Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 23 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 23:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe morsel [which] thou hast eaten, shalt thou vomit up,.... It shall turn in thy stomach, thou shall not be able to keep it, when thou understandest thou art not welcome; or thou wilt wish thou
Read John Gill on Proverbs 23 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. The morsel (which) thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 23 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhen thou perceivest his churlish disposition and carriage, his meat will be loathsome to thee, and thou wilt wish either that thou hadst never eaten it, or that thou couldst vomit it up again. Thy sweet words; thy pleasant discourse, wherewith thou didst adorn his table, and design both to delight and profit him, is lost, and of no effect to him, and thou wilt be ready to repent of it.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 23 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 23:8 The morsel [which] thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.Ver. 8. The morsel which thou hast eaten.] That is, that which thou hast eaten, shall be so ill-sauced that thou shalt wish it up again, and thou shalt repent thee of thy compliments, or of whatsoever good speech thou hast used at table; which was the salt wherewith our Saviour used to sprinkle the dishes wherever he dined.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 23 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) Shalt thou vomit up.—Shalt be disgusted at having partaken of hospitality which was not freely offered to thee. And lose thy sweet words.—All thy civil speeches and thanks for the cold welcome thou hast had.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 23 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 8. The morsel which thou hast eaten] On reflection thou wilt even blame thyself for having accepted his invitation.
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 23 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges8. The feast will be in every way a failure: the food that should nourish will nauseate thee, and thy attempts at pleasant conversation will be wasted.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 23 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible6-8. An evil eye — Is evil of eye: a metaphor denoting a malignant disposition or design — an envious, avaricious, or evil-designing mind.Deuteronomy 15:7-9; Matthew 20:15. The word ùׁ ?òø.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 23 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
you will vomit up the little bit you have eaten, and will have wasted your pleasant words.
Tyndale line
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, And lose thy sweet words.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
Thou shalt vomit thy morsels that thou hast eaten, and thou shalt lose thy sweete wordes.
Strictly literal
Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou vomit up, and thou wilt have wasted thy sweet words.
Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that [are] sweet.
You vomit up your morsel you have eaten, || And have marred your words that [are] sweet.
Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
From the Latin
The meats which thou hadst eaten, thou shalt vomit up: and shalt loose thy beautiful words.
Simplified
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
The food which you have taken will come up again, and your pleasing words will be wasted.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse, with five out of six words matching directly. This consistency underscores the reliability of the text across different traditions.
פִּֽתְּךָ־ אָכַ֥לְתָּ תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה וְ֝שִׁחַ֗תָּ דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ הַנְּעִימִֽים׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 23:8
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
פַּת (pat) refers to a fragment or morsel, particularly of bread. It encompasses meanings like bit and piece, and is related to the variant פָּתוֹת (patot), which shares similar definitions. The term appears in contexts such as Ezekiel 13:19.
ref
H6595a פַּת fragment, bit, morsel of bread H6595b פָּתוֹת id. [6595a]
6595 path path
from 6626; a bit:--meat, morsel, piece.
see HEBREW for 06626
פַּת (pat) — morsel.
fragment, bit, morsel (of bread), piece
Also means: pa.tot (פָּתוֹת "morsel" H6595B)
פָּתוֹת (pa.tot) — morsel.
fragment, bit, morsel (of bread), piece
Another spelling of pat (פַּת "morsel" H6595A)
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp2ms
אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.
אָכַל 806 vb. eat
Qal
eat, human subject
of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
fig. of fire, devour, consume
of sword, devour, slay
in genl., devour, consume, destroy
fig. of oppression, devour the poor
Niph.
be eaten by man
be devoured by fire, consumed
be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
Pu. be consumed
Hiph.
cause to eat, feed with
cause to devoure, obj. sword
base
H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject
. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
. fig. of fire, devour, consume
. of sword, devour, slay
. in genl., devour, consume, destroy
. fig. of oppression, devour the poor
. . be eaten by man
. be devoured by fire, consumed
. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
. be consumed
. . cause to eat, feed with
. cause to devoure, obj. sword
398 'akal aw-kal'
a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at
all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),
feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)
meat, X quite.
אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.
1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to eat (human subject)
1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)
1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)
1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)
1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)
1a6) to devour (of oppression)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be eaten (by men)
1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)
1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to cause to eat, feed with
1c2) to cause to devour
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to feed
1d2) to cause to eat
1e) (Piel)
1e1) consume
Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singularHVqp2ms
קִיא (qow') means to vomit or spue out. It is a primitive root that covers actions like disgorging, with uses in both the Qal and Hiphil forms. The Hiphil form can imply a figurative sense, such as land spewing out its inhabitants, as noted in Jeremiah 25:27.
[קִיא] vb. vomit up, spue out, disgorge
Qal but
Hiph. all vomit up
base
H6958 קִיא vomit up, spue out, disgorge
6958 qow' ko
or qayah (Jer. 25:27) {kaw-yaw'}; a primitive root; to
vomit:--spue (out), vomit (out, up, up again).
קִיא (qo) — to vomit.
1) to vomit up, spue out, disgorge
1a) (Qal) to vomit
1b) (Hiphil) to vomit up
1b1) of land spewing out its inhabitants (fig)
1b2) vomiting, disgorging
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular · suffixHVhi2ms/Sp3fs
שָׁחַת (shachath) is a Hebrew verb meaning to ruin or corrupt. It encompasses a range of actions including decay, spoilage, and moral perversion, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances of destruction or corruption. The word appears in contexts that suggest both physical and moral degradation.
[שָׁחַת] 161 vb. go to ruin (?)
Niph. be marred, spoiled
Pi.
spoil, ruin
pervert, corrupt
Hiph.
spoil, ruin
pervert, corrupt
Hoph. spoiled, ruined
base
H7843 [שָׁחַת] go to ruin (?) . be marred, spoiled
. . spoil, ruin
. pervert, corrupt
. . spoil, ruin
. pervert, corrupt
. spoiled, ruined
7843 shachath shaw-khath'
a primitive root; to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin
(literally or figuratively):--batter, cast off, corrupt(-er,
thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill,
spoiler, X utterly, waste(-r).
שָׁחַת (sha.chat) — to ruin.
1) to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay
1a) (Niphal) to be marred, be spoiled, be corrupted, be corrupt, be injured, be ruined, be rotted
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to spoil, ruin
1b2) to pervert, corrupt, deal corruptly (morally)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to spoil, ruin, destroy
1c2) to pervert, corrupt (morally)
1c3) destroyer (participle)
1d) (Hophal) spoiled, ruined (participle)
Aramaic equivalent: she.chat (שְׁחַת "to corrupt" H7844)
Conj | V-Piel-2ms — Verb · Piel · sequential perfect second person masculine singularHc/Vpq2ms
spoil.
See BOOTY; WAR, 8.
Booty taken in war, in which all the soldiers were permitted by David to share, whether actually engaged in battle or not, 1Sa 30:21-25. A portion of what was thus gained was devoted to the Lord of hosts as early as the time of Abraham, Ge 14:20; and under the Mosaic legislation a definite rule for this purpose was established, Nu 31:26-47 1Ch 26:27.
Christ "spoiled" principalities and powers when by his atoning work he triumphed over Satan and his hosts, and deprived them of their power to injure his people, Col 2:15. Paul warns Christians not to permit human philosophy, tradition, etc., to "spoil" them, that is, to…
דָּבָר (dabar) means 'word' or 'speech' and encompasses a range of meanings including discourse, saying, and matter. It can refer to anything spoken or a topic of discussion, extending to concepts like business or affairs. The entries consistently highlight its use in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicographers.
דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word
sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
sg. a word, words
sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
base
H1697 דָּבָר speech, word . sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
. sg. a word, words
. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
1697 dabar daw-baw'
from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or
thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X
any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case,
cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X
commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, +
dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, +
eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt,
+ iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter,
message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, +
please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose,
question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said,
sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness),
somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that,
X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings,
what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.
see HEBREW for 01696
דָּבָר (da.var) — word.
: word/speech/command
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: speaking.
: speaking
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: thing.
: thing/matter
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: promised.
: promised/duty
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: deed.
: deed
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms
נָעִים (na`iym) means pleasant or delightful, covering both objective and subjective senses, as well as being associated with sweetness and beauty. It may also refer to musical qualities, suggesting something that is sweetly sounding or singing. The word is built from a root that implies delightfulness in various contexts.
נָעִים adj. pleasant, delightful (poet.)
base
נָעִים adj. perh. singing, sweetly sounding, musical
base
H5273a נָעִים pleasant, delightful H5273b נָעִים perh. singing, sweetly sounding, musical
5273 na`iym naw-eem'
from 5276; delightful (objective or subjective, literal or
figurative):--pleasant(-ure), sweet.
see HEBREW for 05276
נָעִים (na.im) — pleasant.
1) pleasant, delightful, sweet, lovely, agreeable
1a) delightful
1b) lovely, beautiful (physical)
נָעִים (na.im) — musical.
singing, sweetly sounding, musical
Art | Adj — ParticleHTd/Aampa