Proverbs 23:4
New International Version
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.

New Living Translation
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.

English Standard Version
Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.

Berean Standard Bible
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.

King James Bible
Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

New King James Version
Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!

New American Standard Bible
Do not weary yourself to gain wealth; Stop dwelling on it.

NASB 1995
Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.

NASB 1977
Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Because of your understanding, cease!

Amplified Bible
Do not weary yourself [with the overwhelming desire] to gain wealth; Cease from your own understanding of it.

Christian Standard Bible
Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; because you know better, stop!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; stop giving your attention to it.

American Standard Version
Weary not thyself to be rich; Cease from thine own wisdom.

Contemporary English Version
Give up trying so hard to get rich.

English Revised Version
Weary not thyself to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Do not wear yourself out getting rich. Be smart enough to stop.

Good News Translation
Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich.

International Standard Version
Don't exhaust yourself acquiring wealth; be smart enough to stop.

Majority Standard Bible
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.

NET Bible
Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.

New Heart English Bible
Do not weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

Webster's Bible Translation
Labor not to be rich: cease from thy own wisdom.

World English Bible
Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not labor to make wealth, "" Cease from your own understanding, "" Do you cause your eyes to fly on it? Then it is not.

Young's Literal Translation
Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not.

Smith's Literal Translation
Thou shalt not labor to become rich: cease from thy wisdom.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Labour not to be rich: but set bounds to thy prudence.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do not be willing to labor so that you may be enriched. But set limits by your prudence.

New American Bible
Do not wear yourself out to gain wealth, cease to be worried about it;

New Revised Standard Version
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Do not quarrel with a rich man; but keep away from him wisely.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Do not come near a rich man, but in wisdom, separate from him;
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Weary not thyself to be rich; Cease from thine own wisdom.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in thy wisdom.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
True Riches
3Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive. 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.…

Cross References
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Ecclesiastes 5:10-12
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. / When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes? / The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

Luke 12:15-21
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?’ ...

1 Timothy 6:17-19
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. / Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, / treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

James 5:1-3
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days.

Philippians 4:11-13
I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. / I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need. / I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

Psalm 62:10
Place no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Colossians 3:2
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Matthew 19:23-24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. / Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Ecclesiastes 4:6
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.


Treasury of Scripture

Labor not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.

labour

Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

John 6:27
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

1 Timothy 6:8-10
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content…

cease

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Proverbs 26:12
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Isaiah 5:21
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Jump to Previous
Acquire Care Cause Cease Consideration Desire Desist End Enough Eyes Fly Gain Labour Money Restraint Rich Show Thyself Toil Understanding Wealth Wear Weary Wisdom Wise
Jump to Next
Acquire Care Cause Cease Consideration Desire Desist End Enough Eyes Fly Gain Labour Money Restraint Rich Show Thyself Toil Understanding Wealth Wear Weary Wisdom Wise
Proverbs 23
1. Consider carefully what is before you














Do not wear yourself out
The Hebrew root for "wear yourself out" is "יָגַע" (yaga), which conveys the idea of laboring to the point of exhaustion. In the ancient Near Eastern context, physical labor was a daily reality for survival, yet this proverb warns against the relentless pursuit of wealth. The wisdom literature of the Bible often contrasts the fleeting nature of material wealth with the enduring value of spiritual and moral integrity. This phrase encourages believers to prioritize their energy and efforts towards pursuits that align with God's eternal purposes rather than temporary gains.

to get rich
The pursuit of riches, or "עָשַׁר" (ashar) in Hebrew, is a common theme in Proverbs, often depicted as a potential snare. Historically, wealth was seen as a sign of God's blessing, yet the scriptures caution against making it an idol. The conservative Christian perspective emphasizes that true riches are found in a relationship with God and in living according to His will. This phrase serves as a reminder that the love of money can lead to spiritual poverty, as echoed in the New Testament (1 Timothy 6:10).

be wise enough
The call to "be wise" is central to the book of Proverbs, which is part of the wisdom literature. The Hebrew word "חָכָם" (chakam) implies not just knowledge, but the skillful application of knowledge in daily life. Wisdom, from a biblical standpoint, begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10) and involves discerning the right path amidst life's complexities. This phrase encourages believers to seek divine wisdom, which guides them in making choices that honor God and reflect His character.

to restrain yourself
The concept of restraint, or "בִּין" (bin) in Hebrew, involves understanding and discernment. In the biblical context, self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and is essential for living a life that pleases God. This phrase highlights the importance of exercising self-discipline in the face of temptations, such as the pursuit of wealth. It calls believers to trust in God's provision and to find contentment in Him, rather than in the accumulation of material possessions.

(4) Cease from thine own wisdom.--Cleverness shewn in piling up wealth.

Verses 4, 5. - These form a pentastich. Verse 4. - Labour not - weary not thyself - to be rich. John 6:27, "Labour not for the meat that perisheth," where the warning is against that absorbing eagerness for wealth which leads to evil doing and neglect of all higher interests. Cease from thine own wisdom. The wisdom (binah, Proverbs 3:5) is that which is necessary for making and keeping wealth. Vulgate, Prudentiae tuae pone modum. This is not the highest form of wisdom (chochmah), but rather the faculty of distinguishing one thing from another, mere discernment, which may exist without any religious or keen moral sense (see note on Proverbs 16:16, where possibly the contrast is expressed). Talmud, "He who augments his riches augments his cares." Erasmus, 'Adag,,' quotes or writes -

"Jupiter ementitur opes mortalibus ipse,
Sic visum ut fuerit, cuicunque, bonove, malove?
Septuagint, "If thou art poor, measure not thyself (μὴ παρεκτείνου) with a rich man, but in thy wisdom refrain thyself."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

wear yourself out
תִּיגַ֥ע (tî·ḡa‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3021: To gasp, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil

to get rich;
לְֽהַעֲשִׁ֑יר (lə·ha·‘ă·šîr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6238: To accumulate, chiefly, to grow, rich

be wise enough
מִֽבִּינָתְךָ֥ (mib·bî·nā·ṯə·ḵā)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 998: An understanding

to restrain yourself.
חֲדָֽל׃ (ḥă·ḏāl)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 2308: To be flabby, desist, be lacking, idle


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 23:4 Don't weary yourself to be rich (Prov. Pro Pr)
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