Proverbs 23:5 kjv

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

Proverbs 23:5 nkjv

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

Proverbs 23:5 niv

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.

Proverbs 23:5 esv

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

Proverbs 23:5 nlt

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

Proverbs 23 verses

Proverbs 23 5 Meaning

Proverbs 23:5 is a wisdom warning against covetousness and the folly of fixating on material wealth. It teaches that riches are inherently fleeting and unreliable, disappearing as swiftly and surely as an eagle flying away into the sky, rendering the intense desire for them ultimately futile.

Proverbs 23 5 Context

Proverbs 23 opens with instructions on self-control and wisdom, particularly regarding social settings and temptations. The verses leading up to verse 5 specifically warn against overindulgence at a ruler's table (vv. 1-3) and, crucially, against toiling to get rich (v. 4). Verse 5 logically follows verse 4 by providing the reason for not striving for wealth: its inherent impermanence and ability to vanish quickly. The chapter continues to warn against deceitful food, selfish people, and drunkenness, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of worldly pleasures and the importance of enduring wisdom. Historically, the wisdom tradition, including Proverbs, sought to provide practical guidance for living a righteous and successful life within a societal framework often characterized by social stratification and varying degrees of economic stability. The advice in Proverbs 23:5 stands in stark contrast to common human tendencies to hoard or rely on material possessions, common then as now, serving as a polemic against materialistic values.

Proverbs 23 5 Word analysis

• Will you set your eyes on it (הֲתָעִיף עֵינֶיךָ בּוֹ - hatāʿîph ʿênékā bô):

  • הֲ (ha): Interrogative particle, turning the statement into a rhetorical question.
  • תָעִיף (tāʿîph - from עוּף ʿûph): This verb means "to fly," "to make fly," or "to vanish suddenly." Here, it's a hiphil, suggesting "to make your eyes fly to it," implying a quick, intense, eager gaze, or "to make your eyes rush at it." It suggests an eager, longing, perhaps even covetous look. This strong, fixated gaze indicates desire, an attempt to grasp or acquire.
  • עֵינֶיךָ (ʿênékā): "Your eyes." The "eye" in biblical thought is often connected to desire, focus, or even judgment (e.g., Deut 28:54, Prov 27:20). Setting one's eyes on something indicates strong desire or fixation.
  • בּוֹ (bô): "On it" or "at it." Refers to the "wealth" mentioned in the subsequent clause.
  • Significance: The rhetorical question directly challenges the reader's misplaced priorities, questioning the very act of intensely desiring or pursuing wealth. It implies futility even in the act of looking.

• when it is gone (אֵינֶנּוּ לוֹ - ʾênénnû lô / literally, "is not he to it"):

  • אֵינֶנּוּ (ʾênénnû): "Is not." This word emphasizes absence or non-existence, often implying disappearance. The form suggests "it is not."
  • לוֹ (lô): "To him/it." This word is sometimes translated as "but" or "indeed," signifying a sudden change or contradiction. It can denote that something has vanished from a person or for them. The sense here is "even before you know it" or "suddenly it's gone."
  • Significance: This phrase points to the instant and surprising disappearance of wealth. It is not merely a gradual decline but a sudden vanishing act, often beyond human control, mocking the initial desire.

• For wealth certainly makes itself wings (כִּי עָשֹׂה יַעֲשֶׂה לּוֹ כְנָפַיִם - kî ʿāśōh yaʿaśeh lô khenāphayim):

  • כִּי (kî): "For" or "surely," introduces the reason or explanation for wealth's impermanence.
  • עָשֹׂה יַעֲשֶׂה (ʿāśōh yaʿaśeh - reduplication of עָשָׂה ʿāśâ "to do, to make"): This is an infinitive absolute construct followed by an imperfect verb of the same root, which intensifies the action. It means "it will surely make" or "it will certainly and undeniably make."
  • לּוֹ (lô): "For itself," indicating that wealth itself possesses the inherent ability or tendency to depart.
  • כְנָפַיִם (khenāphayim): "Wings." Literally, wealth generates wings, personifying its ability to flee.
  • Significance: This powerful personification highlights that the ephemeral nature of wealth is intrinsic to it. It doesn't need external forces to make it disappear; it carries within itself the means of its own swift departure, underscoring its unreliable and deceitful nature.

• like an eagle that flies toward heaven (כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעוּף הַשָּׁמָיִם - ke nesher yāʿûph hashāmāyim):

  • כְּנֶשֶׁר (ke nesher): "Like an eagle." The eagle (nesher) is known for its majestic flight, swiftness, power, and ability to soar to great heights, making it a fitting metaphor for something that disappears quickly and irrecoverably from sight. In ancient Israelite culture, eagles symbolized strength, speed, and elevated perspectives, sometimes also associated with divine judgment or deliverance.
  • יָעוּף (yāʿûph): "It flies" (from עוּף ʿûph again), confirming the imagery of swift movement away.
  • הַשָּׁמָיִם (hashāmāyim): "Toward heaven" or "to the skies." Indicates an upward flight, making the disappearance complete and out of human reach, far from the grasp of covetous eyes.
  • Significance: This simile completes the warning. The image evokes a sense of irretrievable loss. Just as one cannot recover an eagle that has soared out of sight, one cannot retrieve wealth that has vanished. It implies that chasing after wealth is like trying to catch an eagle flying into the stratosphere – a futile and exhausting endeavor.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Will you set your eyes on it, when it is gone?": This rhetorical question coupled with the immediate vanishing highlights the futility and irony of human covetousness. The object of intense desire disappears even as it's desired.
  • "For wealth certainly makes itself wings, like an eagle that flies toward heaven": This explains the preceding question through a vivid and powerful metaphor. It reveals that wealth is inherently unstable and volatile, possessing an internal capacity for rapid departure, swift and high, making pursuit impossible. The imagery of the eagle conveys not only speed but also elevation, removing the wealth from the human plane of activity.

Proverbs 23 5 Bonus section

The wisdom of this proverb echoes a broader biblical and theological theme that God is the ultimate provider and true security rests in Him, not in fleeting worldly resources. Ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature often contrasted the transient nature of human achievement and possessions with the enduring qualities of wisdom, justice, or divine order. This verse fits perfectly within that tradition, presenting wealth not just as temporary but as a volatile, deceptive entity with an independent will to depart. The imagery may also draw on the observation that riches acquired rapidly (e.g., ill-gotten gain) can also dissipate with remarkable speed, highlighting that financial stability is not solely about acquisition but also retention, which itself is not guaranteed.

Proverbs 23 5 Commentary

Proverbs 23:5 delivers a potent cautionary tale against the seductive power of material riches. It is a direct and pointed critique of placing one's hope or desire in accumulating wealth. The rhetorical question, "Will you set your eyes on it...?" confronts the reader with the absurdity of a persistent, covetous gaze upon something so inherently unstable. The Hebrew word choice for "set your eyes" implies an intense, longing look, betraying a heart fixed on what it sees. However, this intense focus is immediately undermined by the stark reality: "when it is gone." Wealth's disappearance is sudden, unannounced, and total.

The verse then provides a striking metaphor to explain this vanishing act. Wealth is personified as actively "making itself wings" – it has an innate ability to depart. This isn't external misfortune necessarily; it's intrinsic to the nature of wealth itself to be ephemeral. The comparison to an "eagle that flies toward heaven" magnifies this truth. Eagles are creatures of swift and high flight, disappearing quickly beyond human reach. This signifies that vanished wealth is irrecoverable, far removed from the grip of the one who coveted it. The lesson is clear: true security and lasting value are not found in perishable possessions, and the pursuit of them to the exclusion of higher values leads only to frustration and emptiness. Practical application suggests a warning against get-rich-quick schemes, lottery reliance, or prioritizing financial gain over integrity, family, or spiritual growth, because such endeavors often prove hollow and impermanent.