21The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
         And each is tested by the praise accorded him.

22Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
         Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23Know well the condition of your flocks,
         And pay attention to your herds;

24For riches are not forever,
         Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,
         And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

26The lambs will be for your clothing,
         And the goats will bring the price of a field,

27And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,
         For the food of your household,
         And sustenance for your maidens.

Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Hell and decay are never satisfied, and a person's eyes are never satisfied.

King James Bible
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied.

Darby Bible Translation
Sheol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

English Revised Version
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Webster's Bible Translation
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

World English Bible
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man's eyes are never satisfied.

Young's Literal Translation
Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied.

Cross References

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

Job 26:6 "Naked is Sheol before Him, And Abaddon has no covering.

Proverbs 15:11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!

Proverbs 27:19 As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.

Proverbs 30:15 The leech has two daughters, "Give," "Give." There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, "Enough":

Proverbs 30:16 Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, "Enough."

Ecclesiastes 1:8 All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 4:8 There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, "And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?" This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.

Habakkuk 2:5 "Furthermore, wine betrays the haughty man, So that he does not stay at home. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, And he is like death, never satisfied. He also gathers to himself all nations And collects to himself all peoples.

Haggai 1:9 "You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?" declares the LORD of hosts, "Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house.

Commentary

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Verse 20

Two things are here said to be insatiable, and they are two things near of kin-death and sin. 1. Death is insatiable. The first death, the second death, both are so. The grave is not clogged with the multitude of dead bodies that are daily thrown into it, but is still an open sepulchre, and cries, Give, give. Hell also has enlarged itself, and still has room for the damned spirits that are committed to that prison. Tophet is deep and large, Isa. 30:33. 2. Sin is insatiable: The eyes of man are never satisfied, nor the appetites of the carnal mind towards profit or pleasure. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is he the loves silver satisfied with silver. Men labour for that which surfeits, but satisfies not; nay, it is dissatisfying; but satisfies not; nay, it is dissatisfying; such a perpetual uneasiness have men justly been doomed to ever since our first parents were not satisfied with all the trees of Eden, but they must meddle with the forbidden tree. Those whose eyes are ever toward the Lord in him are satisfied, and shall for ever be so.

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New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

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