Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. New Living Translation Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy. English Standard Version The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. Berean Standard Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares in its joy. King James Bible The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. New King James Version The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. New American Standard Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. NASB 1995 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. NASB 1977 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. Legacy Standard Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its gladness. Amplified Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, And no stranger shares its joy. Christian Standard Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, and no outsider shares in its joy. Holman Christian Standard Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, and no outsider shares in its joy. American Standard Version The heart knoweth its own bitterness; And a stranger doth not inter-meddle with its joy. Contemporary English Version No one else can really know how sad or happy you are. English Revised Version The heart knoweth its own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy. GOD'S WORD® Translation The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger can share its joy. Good News Translation Your joy is your own; your bitterness is your own. No one can share them with you. International Standard Version The heart knows its own bitterness— an outsider cannot share in its joy. Majority Standard Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares in its joy. NET Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, and with its joy no one else can share. New Heart English Bible The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger. Webster's Bible Translation The heart knoweth its own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy. World English Bible The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionThe heart knows its own bitterness, "" And a stranger does not interfere with its joy. Young's Literal Translation The heart knoweth its own bitterness, And with its joy a stranger doth not intermeddle. Smith's Literal Translation The heart will know the bitterness of its soul, and in its joys the stranger shall not mingle. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe heart that knoweth the bitterness of his own soul, in his joy the stranger shall not intermeddle. Catholic Public Domain Version The heart that knows the bitterness of its own soul, in its gladness the outsider shall not meddle. New American Bible The heart knows its own bitterness, and its joy no stranger shares. New Revised Standard Version The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFools commit sins; but the children of the upright have good will. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Fools commit sins and upright children are willing. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917The heart knoweth its own bitterness; And with its joy no stranger can intermeddle. Brenton Septuagint Translation If a man's mind is intelligent, his soul is sorrowful; and when he rejoices, he has no fellowship with pride. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Wise Woman…9Fools mock the making of amends, but goodwill is found among the upright. 10The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares in its joy. 11The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.… Cross References Psalm 73:21-22 When my heart was grieved and I was pierced within, / I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You. Job 21:25 Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity. Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart. / The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 1 Samuel 1:10 In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. Lamentations 1:12 Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger? Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Psalm 25:16-17 Turn to me and be gracious, for I am lonely and afflicted. / The troubles of my heart increase; free me from my distress. Psalm 34:18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit. Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 2 Corinthians 1:4-5 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. / For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. John 16:20-22 Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. / A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. / So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Treasury of Scripture The heart knows his own bitterness; and a stranger does not intermeddle with his joy. heart Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? 1 Samuel 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. his Genesis 42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. and Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. John 14:18,23 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you… Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Jump to Previous Bitterness Grief Heart Joy Part Share Shares Strange StrangerJump to Next Bitterness Grief Heart Joy Part Share Shares Strange StrangerProverbs 14 1. A wise woman builds her houseThe heart knows its own bitterness This phrase emphasizes the deeply personal nature of human emotions and experiences. In biblical context, the "heart" often represents the center of one's inner life, including emotions, thoughts, and will. The heart's knowledge of its own bitterness suggests that certain sorrows and pains are uniquely personal and cannot be fully understood by others. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of individual accountability and personal relationship with God, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 17:9-10, which speaks of the heart's deceitfulness and God's understanding of it. The idea that only the individual truly knows their own heart is echoed in 1 Samuel 16:7, where God tells Samuel that He looks at the heart, not outward appearances. and no stranger shares in its joy Persons / Places / Events 1. The HeartIn biblical terms, the heart often represents the center of human emotions, thoughts, and will. It is the seat of personal experience and understanding. 2. Bitterness This refers to deep personal sorrow or grief that is often hidden from others. It can be a result of personal trials, disappointments, or sin. 3. Joy A profound sense of happiness or contentment that is deeply personal and often spiritual in nature. 4. Stranger Represents those who are outside of one's intimate circle, who do not fully understand or share in one's personal experiences. Teaching Points Understanding Personal ExperienceEach person's heart holds unique experiences of bitterness and joy that are deeply personal and often not fully understood by others. Empathy and Compassion While we may not fully grasp another's inner experiences, we are called to show empathy and compassion, supporting one another in both sorrow and joy. The Role of Community The church community is vital in providing support, even if it cannot fully share in the personal experiences of each member. God's Understanding Unlike humans, God fully understands the depths of our hearts. We can find comfort in His complete knowledge and empathy. Guarding the Heart We should be mindful of what we allow to take root in our hearts, seeking God's help to transform bitterness into joy through His grace.(10) The heart knoweth his own bitterness . . .--None Can perfectly sympathise with the sorrows or joys of others, except the ideal Son of Man, who came to "bear our griefs and carry our sorrows" (comp. Hebrews 4:15), yet could join in the marriage feast at Cana.Verse 10. - The heart knoweth its own bitterness; literally, the heart (leb) knoweth the bitterness of his soul (nephesh). Neither our joys nor our sorrows can be wholly shared with another; no person stands in such intimate relation to us, or can put himself so entirely in our place, as to feel that which we feel. There is many a dark spot, many a grief, of which our best friend knows nothing; the skeleton is locked in the cupboard, and no one has the key but ourselves. But we can turn with confidence to the God-Man, Jesus, who knows our frame, who wept human tears, and bore our sorrows, and was in all points tempted like as we are, and who has taken his human experience with him into heaven. A stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy. The contrast is between the heart's sorrow and its joy; both alike in their entirety are beyond the ken of strangers. St. Gregory remarks on this passage ('Moral.,' 6:23), "The human mind 'knoweth its own soul's bitterness' when, inflamed with aspirations after the eternal land, it learns by weeping the sorrowfulness of its pilgrimage. But 'the stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy,' in that he, that is now a stranger to the grief of compunction, is not then a partaker in the joy of consolation." A homely proverb says, "No one knows where the shoe pinches so well as he that wears it;" and an Italian maxim runs, "Ad ognuno par piu grave la croce sua" - "To every one his own cross seems heaviest." Septuagint, "The heart of man is sensitive (αἰσθητική), his soul is sorrowful; but when it rejoices, it has no intermingling of insolence;" i.e. when a man's mind is sensitive it is easily depressed by grief; but when it is elated by joy, it should receive its pleasure and relief without arrogance and ribaldry. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew The heartלֵ֗ב (lêḇ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre knows י֭וֹדֵעַ (yō·w·ḏê·a‘) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 3045: To know its own נַפְשׁ֑וֹ (nap̄·šōw) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion bitterness, מָרַּ֣ת (mār·raṯ) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 4751: Bitter, bitterness, bitterly and no לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no stranger זָֽר׃ (zār) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2114: To turn aside, to be a, foreigner, strange, profane, to commit adultery shares יִתְעָ֥רַב (yiṯ·‘ā·raḇ) Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6148: To braid, intermix, technically, to traffic, give to be security in its joy. וּ֝בְשִׂמְחָת֗וֹ (ū·ḇə·śim·ḥā·ṯōw) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 8057: Blithesomeness, glee Links Proverbs 14:10 NIVProverbs 14:10 NLT Proverbs 14:10 ESV Proverbs 14:10 NASB Proverbs 14:10 KJV Proverbs 14:10 BibleApps.com Proverbs 14:10 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 14:10 Chinese Bible Proverbs 14:10 French Bible Proverbs 14:10 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Proverbs 14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness (Prov. 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