Proverbs 16:26 kjv
He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
Proverbs 16:26 nkjv
The person who labors, labors for himself, For his hungry mouth drives him on.
Proverbs 16:26 niv
The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.
Proverbs 16:26 esv
A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on.
Proverbs 16:26 nlt
It is good for workers to have an appetite;
an empty stomach drives them on.
Proverbs 16 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:19 | By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread... | Labor essential post-Fall for sustenance |
| Ps 128:2 | You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you will be blessed... | Blessing in one's own toil |
| Ecc 3:13 | That everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil... | Enjoying labor is a gift from God |
| Ecc 5:12 | Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much... | Contentment in honest work |
| Prov 6:6-8 | Go to the ant, O sluggard... provides her food in the summer... | Diligence from ants as example |
| Prov 10:4 | A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. | Contrasting diligence with poverty |
| Prov 12:11 | Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread... | Hard work yields provision |
| Prov 13:4 | The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. | Sluggard's cravings unfulfilled |
| Prov 19:15 | Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger. | Idleness leads to hunger |
| Prov 20:4 | The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing. | No work, no food |
| Prov 21:25 | The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. | Lack of labor due to laziness |
| Prov 24:30-34 | I passed by the field of a sluggard... Poverty will come upon you like a robber... | Laziness brings inevitable poverty |
| 2 Thess 3:10 | If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. | No work, no food (New Testament principle) |
| Eph 4:28 | Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor... to share... | Work for provision and sharing |
| 1 Tim 5:8 | But if anyone does not provide for his relatives... he has denied the faith... | Providing for one's own |
| Matt 6:11 | Give us this day our daily bread. | Prayer for daily provision |
| John 6:27 | Do not labor for the food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life... | Spiritual work superior to physical only |
| Phil 4:12 | I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance... | Contentment beyond basic needs |
| 1 Cor 9:10 | The plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. | Work motivated by hope of reward |
| Hab 2:5 | "Moreover, wine is a traitor... He enlarges his appetite like Sheol..." | Negative aspect of unchecked appetite/greed |
| Ps 104:27-28 | These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. | God provides for living beings, who also act |
| Prov 27:7 | One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet. | Hunger intensifies desire and appreciation |
Proverbs 16 verses
Proverbs 16 26 Meaning
Proverbs 16:26 observes a fundamental principle of human motivation: the deep hunger or appetite of a worker acts as a powerful driving force for their labor. It means that the inherent need for sustenance, springing from one's very being, impels a person to toil and exert effort, ensuring their survival and provision. This is a realistic and pragmatic statement about the primary internal engine for work.
Proverbs 16 26 Context
Proverbs 16, within the broader book of Proverbs, primarily contains collections of wise sayings concerning righteous living, human behavior, and God's sovereignty. This chapter focuses on themes like planning versus divine sovereignty, humility, speech, and the paths of the wise versus the foolish. Verse 26, specifically, offers a practical observation about human motivation for labor. Historically and culturally, ancient Israel was largely an agrarian society where direct, physical labor was indispensable for survival. There were no social safety nets in the modern sense; provision directly depended on effort. Thus, the primal urge of hunger and the need for food served as the most immediate and tangible incentive for daily toil in a land that required constant working to yield its produce.
Proverbs 16 26 Word analysis
The laborer’s appetite (נֶפֶשׁ עָמֵל - nephesh amel):
- Nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ): More than just "stomach" or "appetite," nephesh refers to the whole inner being, soul, or animating life principle. Here, it denotes the deep-seated craving, the entire person's hunger, not merely a physical sensation. It encompasses desire and longing.
- Amel (עָמֵל): Means "laborer," "worker," "toiler." It describes the person engaged in diligent, often arduous, work.
- Combined: The "soul of the toiler" or "the person who works craves." This highlights that the craving isn't superficial but arises from the core of one's existence, making it a profound driver.
works for him (עָמְלָה־לּוֹ - amlah-lō):
- Amlah (עָמְלָה): This is from the same root as amel (laborer/toiler), indicating the verb "toil," "work," or "exert effort."
- Lō (־לּוֹ): Means "for him" or "for himself."
- Combined: The repetition of the root "amal" emphasizes that the appetite itself labors for the individual. It's an internal, self-serving force that pushes one into productive activity, ensuring personal benefit. It's a driving work ethic stemming from a primal need.
his hunger drives him on (כִּי־אֲכָפוֹ פִּיהוּ - kî-akhāphō pîhū):
- Kî (כִּי): A conjunction meaning "for," "because," or "indeed," introducing the reason or explanation for the preceding statement.
- Akhaphō (אֲכָפוֹ): From the root ʾakaph, meaning "to compel," "to force," "to urge upon," "to impel." It conveys a strong, inescapable pressure or compulsion.
- Pîhū (פִּיהוּ): "His mouth." This is a synecdoche, where the mouth represents hunger, the craving for food, or the need for sustenance that must enter the mouth. It embodies the basic biological necessity.
- Combined: This phrase explains how the appetite works for the laborer: the pressing need of the mouth (hunger) exerts a powerful, unavoidable compulsion to act. It's a natural, built-in mechanism for self-preservation through effort.
Proverbs 16 26 Bonus section
This verse stands in contrast to themes of idleness prevalent in other parts of Proverbs (e.g., the sluggard). It identifies a core, inherent counter-force to laziness: the unyielding pressure of needing to eat. While Christians are called to higher motives for work (such as working "as for the Lord," Col 3:23), this Proverb reminds us of the practical, earthly impetus that God has instilled in humanity for its preservation and flourishing since the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:19). It also implies the dignity in labor itself, as a means to a righteous and God-pleasing end: honest provision.
Proverbs 16 26 Commentary
Proverbs 16:26 offers a pithy, yet profound, observation on human motivation: basic physical needs, specifically hunger, are God-given and foundational drivers for productive labor. It’s not just a mild suggestion, but an intense compulsion arising from the deepest part of one’s being (the nephesh). This internal craving pushes the individual into work, demonstrating a wise divine design where survival itself hinges on diligent effort. The verse highlights the direct correlation between hunger and industry, portraying an inescapable natural law that motivates all individuals, even the laziest (as contrasted in other Proverbs), to engage in labor to satisfy their fundamental requirements. It implicitly values self-reliance through work, ensuring provision and contributing to societal stability.