Proverbs 23:5
New International Version
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

New Living Translation
In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.

English Standard Version
When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

Berean Standard Bible
When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

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

New King James Version
Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

New American Standard Bible
When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

NASB 1995
When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

NASB 1977
When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings, Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do you make your eyes fly up to see it? But it is not there! Because it certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

Amplified Bible
When you set your eyes on wealth, it is [suddenly] gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies to the heavens.

Christian Standard Bible
As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For if you fix your eye on him, he disappears before you, because he makes wings for himself like an eagle and flies into the sky.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

Contemporary English Version
Your money flies away before you know it, just like an eagle suddenly taking off.

Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

English Revised Version
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Will you catch only a fleeting glimpse of wealth before it is gone? It makes wings for itself like an eagle flying into the sky.

Good News Translation
Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle.

International Standard Version
When you fix your gaze on it, it's gone, for it sprouts wings for itself and flies to the sky like an eagle.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone; For riches certainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

Literal Standard Version
For wealth makes wings to itself, | It flies to the heavens as an eagle.

Majority Standard Bible
When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

New American Bible
When your glance flits to it, it is gone! For assuredly it grows wings, like the eagle that flies toward heaven.

NET Bible
When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!

New Revised Standard Version
When your eyes light upon it, it is gone; for suddenly it takes wings to itself, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

New Heart 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wilt thou set thy eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make to themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven.

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.

Young's Literal Translation
For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
True Riches
4Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. 5When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky. 6Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;…

Cross References
1 Timothy 6:17
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.

Proverbs 27:24
for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation.


Treasury of Scripture

Will you set your eyes on that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

thou

Psalm 119:36,37
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness…

Jeremiah 22:17
But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.

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

that which

Genesis 42:3
And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

Genesis 1:2
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Genesis 12:8
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

riches

Proverbs 27:24
For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

Job 1:14-17
And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: …

Psalm 39:6
Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Jump to Previous
Cast Eagle Eyes Flies Flieth Flight Fly Flying Glance Heaven Heavens Indeed Itself Light Makes Maketh Riches Sky Sprout Sprouts Suddenly Surely Themselves Towards Wealth Wilt Wings
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Cast Eagle Eyes Flies Flieth Flight Fly Flying Glance Heaven Heavens Indeed Itself Light Makes Maketh Riches Sky Sprout Sprouts Suddenly Surely Themselves Towards Wealth Wilt Wings
Proverbs 23
1. Consider carefully what is before you














(5) They fly away.--Rather, As an eagle that flieth toward heaven, far beyond thy reach.

Verse 5. - Wilt thou sat thine eyes upon that which is not? more literally, wilt thou let thine eyes fly upon it, and it is gone? Why cast longing looks towards this wealth, and so prepare for yourself loss and disappointment? The pursuit is vain, and the result is never secure; what you gained by long toil and prudent care may be lost in an hour. Do you wish to incur this danger? Wordsworth quotes Persius, 'Sat.,' 3:61 -

"An passim sequeris corvos testaque lutoque?" For riches certainly make themselves wings. The subject, unexpressed, is riches, and the Hebrew phrase implies absolute certainty: Making they will make for themselves. They fly away as an eagle toward heaven; or, like on eagle that flieth toward heaven, where not even sight can follow. Publ. Syr., 255, "Longinquum est omne quod cupiditas flagitat." The Telugu compares worldly prosperity to writing upon water. Says the Greek moralist -

Βέβαιον οὐδέν ἐν βίῳ δοκεῖ πέλειν

"There's naught in life that one can deem secure." Septuagint, "If thou fix thine eye upon him (the rich patron), he will nowhere be seen, for wings like an eagle's are ready prepared for him, and he will return to the house of his master (τοῦ προεστηκότος), and leave you to shift for yourself."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When you glance [at wealth],
הֲתָ֤עִיף (hă·ṯā·‘îp̄)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5774: To fly, to faint

it disappears,
וְֽאֵ֫ינֶ֥נּוּ (wə·’ê·nen·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb | third person masculine singular
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

for
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

it makes
עָשֹׂ֣ה (‘ā·śōh)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6213: To do, make

wings for itself
כְנָפַ֑יִם (ḵə·nā·p̄a·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 3671: An edge, extremity, a wing, a flap, a quarter, a pinnacle

and flies
יָע֥וּף (yā·‘ūp̄)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5774: To fly, to faint

like an eagle
כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁר (kə·ne·šer)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5404: The eagle

to the sky.
הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (haš·šā·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 23:5 Why do you set your eyes (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 23:4
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