Proverbs 14:4
New International Version
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.

New Living Translation
Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.

English Standard Version
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

Berean Standard Bible
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.

King James Bible
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

New King James Version
Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

New American Standard Bible
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean; But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

NASB 1995
Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

NASB 1977
Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much increase comes by the strength of the ox.

Legacy Standard Bible
Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.

Amplified Bible
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, But much revenue [because of good crops] comes by the strength of the ox.

Christian Standard Bible
Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of an ox.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of an ox.

American Standard Version
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; But much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Where there are no oxen, the stalls are clean, and the abundance of crops is by the power of the ox.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Where no oxen are, the cribs are clean; but where there is abundant produce, the strength of the ox is apparent.

Contemporary English Version
Without the help of an ox there can be no crop, but with a strong ox a big crop is possible.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Where there are no oxen, the crib is empty: but where there is much corn, there the strength of the ox is manifest.

English Revised Version
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Where there are no cattle, the feeding trough is empty, but the strength of an ox produces plentiful harvests.

Good News Translation
Without any oxen to pull the plow your barn will be empty, but with them it will be full of grain.

International Standard Version
Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean, but profits come through the strength of the ox.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; But much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Literal Standard Version
Without oxen a stall [is] clean, | And great [is] the increase by the power of the ox.

Majority Standard Bible
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.

New American Bible
Where there are no oxen, the crib is clean; but abundant crops come through the strength of the bull.

NET Bible
Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean, but an abundant harvest is produced by strong oxen.

New Revised Standard Version
Where there are no oxen, there is no grain; abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

New Heart English Bible
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Webster's Bible Translation
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

World English Bible
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Young's Literal Translation
Without oxen a stall is clean, And great is the increase by the power of the ox.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Wise Woman
3The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them. 4Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox. 5An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.…

Cross References
Psalm 144:14
Our oxen will bear great loads. There will be no breach in the walls, no going into captivity, and no cry of lament in our streets.

Proverbs 14:3
The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.

Proverbs 14:5
An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.


Treasury of Scripture

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

clean

Amos 4:6
And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

but

Proverbs 13:23
Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.

1 Corinthians 9:9-11
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? …

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Abundant Clean Crib Crops Empty Grain Great Harvest Increase Manger Ox Oxen Power Revenue Stall Strength
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Abundant Clean Crib Crops Empty Grain Great Harvest Increase Manger Ox Oxen Power Revenue Stall Strength
Proverbs 14
1. A wise woman builds her house














(4) Where no oxen are, the crib is clean . . .--A proverb which may be taken in various ways. Some have seen in it an exhortation to kindness towards animals in consideration of their great usefulness. Others, that labour has its disagreeable aspect, but also brings its reward, whether material prosperity ("much increase") or a more enduring reward. (Comp. Galatians 6:9.)

Verse 4. - Where no oxen (cattle) are, the crib is clean. This does not mean, as some take it, that labour has its rough, disagreeable side, yet in the end brings profit; but rather that without bullocks to labour in the fields, or cows to supply milk - that is, without toil and industry, and necessary instruments - the crib is empty, there is nothing to put in the granary, there are no beasts to fatten. The means must be adapted to the end. Much increase is by the strength of the ox. This, again, is not an exhortation to kindness towards animals, which makes no antithesis to the first clause; but it is parallel with Proverbs 12:11, and means that where agricultural works are diligently carried on (the "ploughing ox" being taken as the type of industry), large returns are secured. Septuagint, "Where fruits are plentiful the strength of the ox is manifest."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Where there are no
בְּאֵ֣ין (bə·’ên)
Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

oxen,
אֲ֭לָפִים (’ă·lā·p̄îm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 504: A family, an ox, cow

the manger
אֵב֣וּס (’ê·ḇūs)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 18: A crib, feeding trough

is empty,
בָּ֑ר (bār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1249: Beloved, pure, empty

but an abundant
וְרָב־ (wə·rāḇ-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7230: Multitude, abundance, greatness

harvest comes
תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת (tə·ḇū·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8393: Product, revenue

through the strength
בְּכֹ֣חַ (bə·ḵō·aḥ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species)

of the ox.
שֽׁוֹר׃ (šō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7794: A head of cattle (bullock, ox, etcetera)


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 14:4 Where no oxen are the crib (Prov. Pro Pr)
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