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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Proverbs 20:17 Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-17.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/18/20_Pro_20_17.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Proverbs 20:17 - Wine is a Mocker" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel." /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; 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but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/proverbs/20.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Bread gained by deceit <i>is</i> sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/proverbs/20.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Bread <i>obtained by</i> a lie is sweet to a person, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/proverbs/20.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/proverbs/20.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/proverbs/20.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Bread obtained by lying is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/proverbs/20.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel [just as sin may be sweet at first, but later its consequences bring despair].<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/proverbs/20.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Food gained by fraud is sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/proverbs/20.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth is full of gravel. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/proverbs/20.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/proverbs/20.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />The food you get by cheating may taste delicious, but it turns to gravel. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/proverbs/20.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/proverbs/20.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />Food gained dishonestly tastes sweet to a person, but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/proverbs/20.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/proverbs/20.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but later his mouth will be full of gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/proverbs/20.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/proverbs/20.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/proverbs/20.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/proverbs/20.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/proverbs/20.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/proverbs/20.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, "" And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/proverbs/20.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> Sweet to a man is the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/proverbs/20.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; and afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/proverbs/20.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />The bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/proverbs/20.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />The bread of lies is sweet to a man. But afterwards, his mouth will be filled with pebbles.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/proverbs/20.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Bread earned by deceit is sweet, but afterward the mouth is filled with gravel. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/proverbs/20.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Bread gained by deceit is sweet, but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/proverbs/20.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />He who becomes surety for a man by means of deceitful gain will afterwards have his mouth filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/proverbs/20.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />He pledges security to a man with deceitful bread, and after that, his mouth will be filled with pebbles.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/proverbs/20.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/proverbs/20-17.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kpUA5ZltBeQ?start=4046" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/proverbs/20.htm">Wine is a Mocker</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">16</span>Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner. <span class="reftext">17</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/3899.htm" title="3899: le·ḥem (N-msc) -- Bread, food. From lacham; food, especially bread, or grain.">Food</a> <a href="/hebrew/8267.htm" title="8267: šā·qer (N-ms) -- Deception, disappointment, falsehood. From shaqar; an untruth; by implication, a sham.">gained by fraud</a> <a href="/hebrew/6156.htm" title="6156: ‘ā·rêḇ (Adj-ms) -- Sweet, pleasant. From areb; pleasant.">is sweet</a> <a href="/hebrew/376.htm" title="376: lā·’îš (Prep-l, Art:: N-ms) -- Man. Contracted for 'enowsh; a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term.">to a man,</a> <a href="/hebrew/310.htm" title="310: wə·’a·ḥar (Conj-w:: Adv) -- The hind or following part. From 'achar; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after.">but later</a> <a href="/hebrew/6310.htm" title="6310: p̄î·hū (N-msc:: 3ms) -- Mouth. From pa'ah; the mouth, whether literal or figurative; specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially according to.">his mouth</a> <a href="/hebrew/4390.htm" title="4390: yim·mā·lê- (V-Nifal-Imperf-3ms) -- To be full, to fill. Or malae; a primitive root, to fill or be full of, in a wide application.">is full of</a> <a href="/hebrew/2687.htm" title="2687: ḥā·ṣāṣ (N-ms) -- Gravel. From chatsats; properly, something cutting; hence, gravel; also an arrow.">gravel.</a> </span><span class="reftext">18</span>Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/9-17.htm">Proverbs 9:17-18</a></span><br />“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is tasty!” / But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/10-2.htm">Proverbs 10:2</a></span><br />Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/21-6.htm">Proverbs 21:6</a></span><br />Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/23-3.htm">Proverbs 23:3-4</a></span><br />Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive. / Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/28-20.htm">Proverbs 28:20</a></span><br />A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/28-22.htm">Proverbs 28:22</a></span><br />A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/job/20-12.htm">Job 20:12-15</a></span><br />Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue, / though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, / yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/17-11.htm">Jeremiah 17:11</a></span><br />Like a partridge hatching eggs it did not lay is the man who makes a fortune unjustly. In the middle of his days his riches will desert him, and in the end he will be the fool.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/micah/6-10.htm">Micah 6:10-13</a></span><br />Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed? / Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights? / For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/44-20.htm">Isaiah 44:20</a></span><br />He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hosea/12-7.htm">Hosea 12:7-8</a></span><br />A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands. / And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become! I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors, they can find in me no iniquity that is sinful.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/7-15.htm">Matthew 7:15-20</a></span><br />Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/16-26.htm">Matthew 16:26</a></span><br />What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/12-15.htm">Luke 12:15-21</a></span><br />And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” / Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. / So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/16-19.htm">Luke 16:19-31</a></span><br />Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. / And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores / and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. ...</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/psalms/73-24.htm">Afterward</a> <a href="/job/18-2.htm">Afterwards</a> <a href="/proverbs/20-13.htm">Bread</a> <a href="/proverbs/19-9.htm">Deceit</a> <a href="/proverbs/17-24.htm">Ends</a> <a href="/proverbs/17-7.htm">Falsehood</a> <a href="/proverbs/18-20.htm">Filled</a> <a href="/proverbs/20-13.htm">Food</a> <a href="/proverbs/13-11.htm">Fraud</a> <a href="/2_corinthians/2-17.htm">Fraudulent</a> <a href="/proverbs/19-21.htm">Full</a> <a href="/proverbs/16-31.htm">Gained</a> <a href="/lamentations/3-16.htm">Gravel</a> <a href="/proverbs/19-28.htm">Mouth</a> <a href="/proverbs/18-22.htm">Obtained</a> <a href="/psalms/139-18.htm">Sand</a> <a href="/proverbs/18-8.htm">Sweet</a> <a href="/job/34-3.htm">Tastes</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/proverbs/28-23.htm">Afterward</a> <a href="/proverbs/24-27.htm">Afterwards</a> <a href="/proverbs/22-9.htm">Bread</a> <a href="/proverbs/20-23.htm">Deceit</a> <a href="/proverbs/30-4.htm">Ends</a> <a href="/proverbs/29-12.htm">Falsehood</a> <a href="/proverbs/24-4.htm">Filled</a> <a href="/proverbs/21-20.htm">Food</a> <a href="/luke/16-11.htm">Fraud</a> <a href="/2_corinthians/2-17.htm">Fraudulent</a> <a href="/proverbs/21-8.htm">Full</a> <a href="/proverbs/20-21.htm">Gained</a> <a href="/isaiah/48-19.htm">Gravel</a> <a href="/proverbs/21-23.htm">Mouth</a> <a href="/proverbs/20-21.htm">Obtained</a> <a href="/proverbs/27-3.htm">Sand</a> <a href="/proverbs/23-8.htm">Sweet</a> <a href="/proverbs/27-7.htm">Tastes</a><div class="vheading2">Proverbs 20</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/proverbs/20-1.htm">Proper Living</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/proverbs/20.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/proverbs/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/proverbs/20.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man</b><br>This phrase highlights the initial allure of dishonest gain. In biblical times, food was a primary necessity, and acquiring it through deceit could provide immediate satisfaction. The sweetness symbolizes the temporary pleasure or benefit one might feel from dishonest actions. This concept is echoed in other scriptures, such as <a href="/proverbs/9-17.htm">Proverbs 9:17</a>, where stolen water is described as sweet, emphasizing the deceptive appeal of sin. The cultural context of ancient Israel placed a high value on honesty and integrity, as seen in the Mosaic Law, which condemned deceit and theft (<a href="/exodus/20-15.htm">Exodus 20:15-16</a>). The temporary sweetness of fraudulent gain is a common theme in wisdom literature, warning against the fleeting nature of sin's pleasures.<p><b>but later his mouth is full of gravel</b><br>The imagery of a mouth full of gravel starkly contrasts with the initial sweetness, symbolizing the eventual consequences of deceit. Gravel represents discomfort, pain, and the destruction of satisfaction. This reflects the biblical principle that sin ultimately leads to negative outcomes, as seen in <a href="/galatians/6-7.htm">Galatians 6:7</a>, which states that a man reaps what he sows. The historical context of this proverb would resonate with an agrarian society familiar with the unpleasantness of having grit in one's mouth, illustrating the inevitable bitterness and regret that follow dishonest actions. This phrase serves as a warning that the initial pleasure of sin is short-lived and ultimately leads to ruin, aligning with the broader biblical narrative of the consequences of sin and the call to righteousness.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_deceptive_person.htm">The Deceptive Person</a></b><br>This individual seeks to gain through dishonest means, finding temporary satisfaction in their deceit.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_victim.htm">The Victim</a></b><br>Although not directly mentioned, the victim is implied as the one who suffers loss due to the deceptive actions of another.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_consequence.htm">The Consequence</a></b><br>The metaphorical "mouth full of gravel" represents the inevitable negative outcome of deceitful actions.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_illusion_of_immediate_gratification.htm">The Illusion of Immediate Gratification</a></b><br>Deceptive gains may seem sweet initially, but they are fleeting and lead to regret.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_inevitable_consequences_of_deceit.htm">The Inevitable Consequences of Deceit</a></b><br>Just as gravel is unpleasant and harmful in the mouth, so are the outcomes of dishonest actions.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_call_to_integrity.htm">The Call to Integrity</a></b><br>Christians are called to live with integrity, trusting that God will provide for their needs without resorting to deceit.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_importance_of_long-term_perspective.htm">The Importance of Long-term Perspective</a></b><br>Focusing on eternal values rather than temporary pleasures helps believers avoid the pitfalls of dishonesty.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_role_of_repentance_and_restoration.htm">The Role of Repentance and Restoration</a></b><br>When one has engaged in deceit, repentance and seeking to make amends are crucial steps in restoring integrity.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_proverbs_20.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 20</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_'sanctify_the_lord'_mean.htm">What does 'Stolen Water is Sweet' mean?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_'stolen_water_is_sweet'_mean.htm">What does "Stolen Water is Sweet" mean?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/does_proverbs_9_17_suggest_theft's_allure.htm">Proverbs 9:17 suggests stolen water is sweet. Does this imply that forbidden acts have inherent appeal, and how does this reconcile with other passages condemning theft?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_use_personification_over_concrete_proof.htm">Proverbs 9:13-18 presents Folly as another woman calling out to the naive. Why rely on personification instead of providing concrete historical or scientific validations for these moral teachings?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/proverbs/20.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 17.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Bread of deceit is sweet to a man;</span> Revised Version, <span class="accented">bread of falsehood</span>; <span class="accented">i.e.</span> bread gained without labour, or by unrighteous means (comp. <a href="/proverbs/10-2.htm">Proverbs 10:2</a>). This is agreeable because it is easily won, and has the relish of forbidden fruit. "Wickedness is sweet in his mouth" (<a href="/job/20-12.htm">Job 20:12</a>). But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. He will find in his "bread" no nourishment, but rather discomfort and positive injury (comp. <a href="/job/20-14.htm">Job 20:14</a>). The expression, "to eat gravel," is intimated in <a href="/lamentations/3-16.htm">Lamentations 3:16</a>, "He hath broken my teeth with gravel stones;" it implies grievous disappointment and unprofitableness. See here a warning against evil plesaures - <p><span class="greek">Φεῦγ ἡδονὴν φέρουσαν ὕστερον βλάβην</span> <p><span class="foreign">"Sperne voluptates: nocet empta dolore voluptas."</span> Oort supposes that the gnome in the text is derived from a riddle, which asked, "What is sweet at first, but afterwards like sand in the mouth?" <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/proverbs/20-17.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">Food</span><br /><span class="heb">לֶ֣חֶם</span> <span class="translit">(le·ḥem)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3899.htm">Strong's 3899: </a> </span><span class="str2">Food, bread, grain</span><br /><br /><span class="word">gained by fraud</span><br /><span class="heb">שָׁ֑קֶר</span> <span class="translit">(šā·qer)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8267.htm">Strong's 8267: </a> </span><span class="str2">Deception, disappointment, falsehood</span><br /><br /><span class="word">is sweet</span><br /><span class="heb">עָרֵ֣ב</span> <span class="translit">(‘ā·rêḇ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6149.htm">Strong's 6149: </a> </span><span class="str2">To be sweet or pleasing</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to a man,</span><br /><span class="heb">לָ֭אִישׁ</span> <span class="translit">(lā·’îš)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_376.htm">Strong's 376: </a> </span><span class="str2">A man as an individual, a male person</span><br /><br /><span class="word">but later</span><br /><span class="heb">וְ֝אַחַ֗ר</span> <span class="translit">(wə·’a·ḥar)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Adverb<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_310.htm">Strong's 310: </a> </span><span class="str2">The hind or following part</span><br /><br /><span class="word">his mouth</span><br /><span class="heb">פִ֥יהוּ</span> <span class="translit">(p̄î·hū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6310.htm">Strong's 6310: </a> </span><span class="str2">The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to</span><br /><br /><span class="word">is full of</span><br /><span class="heb">יִמָּֽלֵא־</span> <span class="translit">(yim·mā·lê-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4390.htm">Strong's 4390: </a> </span><span class="str2">To fill, be full of</span><br /><br /><span class="word">gravel.</span><br /><span class="heb">חָצָֽץ׃</span> <span class="translit">(ḥā·ṣāṣ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2687.htm">Strong's 2687: </a> </span><span class="str2">Something cutting, gravel, an arrow</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/proverbs/20-17.htm">Proverbs 20:17 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/proverbs/20-17.htm">OT Poetry: Proverbs 20:17 Fraudulent food is sweet to a man (Prov. Pro Pr) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/proverbs/20-16.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Proverbs 20:16"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Proverbs 20:16" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/proverbs/20-18.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Proverbs 20:18"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Proverbs 20:18" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>