Proverbs 24:10 kjv

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Proverbs 24:10 nkjv

If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.

Proverbs 24:10 niv

If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!

Proverbs 24:10 esv

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

Proverbs 24:10 nlt

If you fail under pressure,
your strength is too small.

Proverbs 24 verses

H2 MeaningThis verse conveys that a person's true inner resilience and spiritual fortitude are rigorously tested and subsequently revealed during times of profound difficulty and trouble. To become disheartened, give up, or grow weak when faced with severe hardship indicates an inherent and insufficient personal strength or character. It serves as a diagnostic statement, highlighting that one's response to adversity exposes the genuine measure of their steadfastness, whether it be spiritual, emotional, or moral.

H2 Cross References

H2 ContextThis verse is embedded within Proverbs Chapter 24, which continues a collection of "Sayings of the Wise" (Prov 22:17 – 24:34). These proverbs offer practical instructions and moral guidance for living a life of wisdom and righteousness. Chapter 24 specifically addresses themes of prudence, diligence, justice, integrity, and self-control, contrasting these virtues with folly, laziness, and evil plotting. Verse 10 stands out by focusing on the individual's inner state when faced with inevitable challenges, directly addressing the character quality of perseverance. Historically and culturally, Proverbs served as educational material, teaching young people in ancient Israel how to cultivate a resilient and God-fearing character necessary to navigate life's often-harsh realities. Adversity was an inescapable part of existence, and this proverb highlighted that a genuine understanding of oneself, and often one's reliance on God, would be proven not in ease but in affliction. It countered any passive or fatalistic approaches to trouble, emphasizing that inner fortitude is key.

H2 Word analysis

• Unordered List

  • "If you faint": (Hebrew: רָפָה, raphah) meaning: to drop, relax, sink, grow weak, let go, become slack. It describes an internal letting down or giving up of effort or resistance, rather than a mere external defeat. Its significance lies in indicating a surrender from within, pointing to a choice or a fundamental lack of inner strength.
  • "in the day": (Hebrew: בְּיוֹם, beyom) meaning: in a day; specifically refers to "in the time of" or "at the occasion of." Its significance is to highlight that this is not about every passing moment but specific, designated periods or events of severe trial or distress, when character is tested decisively.
  • "of adversity": (Hebrew: צָרָה, tsarah) meaning: straits, trouble, distress, anguish, tribulation, vexation. This word is derived from the root tsar, meaning "narrow" or "constrained." Its significance is that it depicts a situation where one feels compressed, limited, hemmed in, or under severe pressure, symbolizing extreme difficulty.
  • "your strength": (Hebrew: כֹּחֲךָ, kochakha) meaning: your power, might, vigor, ability, resources, or internal capacity. This encompasses physical, mental, moral, and crucially, spiritual resilience. Its significance is that it points to the sum total of an individual's personal resources and ability to act or endure, whether inherent or divinely endowed.
  • "is small": (Hebrew: צָר, tsar) meaning: narrow, constricted, scanty, limited, insufficient, little. Notably, this word comes from the same root as tsarah (adversity). Its significance is not simply 'little' in quantity, but 'inadequate' or 'insufficient' for the specific challenge. It reveals a deficiency or a fundamental lack of capacity that becomes apparent only when tested by difficult circumstances.

• Unordered List

  • "If you faint in the day of adversity": This phrase sets a condition and describes the situation. It means "if you lose heart, become weak, or give up when difficulties arise." It emphasizes that how one responds to trouble is revealing. The "day of adversity" is the moment of truth, the proving ground that reveals whether one possesses true inner fortitude. This action of "fainting" is an internal capitulation to external pressures, showing a lack of staying power.
  • "your strength is small": This is the direct diagnostic conclusion. It indicates that the inability to withstand adversity is evidence of a deficient internal reservoir of strength. It is not necessarily a judgment but an observation that true inner "power" or resilience is only proven and measured by its ability to endure through pressure. The significant wordplay between tsarah ("adversity," literally 'narrowing') and tsar ("small," literally 'narrow') profoundly highlights that being put in a narrow, constricted place ("adversity") reveals that one's strength is correspondingly narrow or insufficient.

H2 CommentaryProverbs 24:10 provides a sharp, diagnostic insight into character, stating that how one behaves under pressure reveals the truth about their inner strength. It's not a condemnation but an observation: if one collapses or becomes discouraged when troubles arise, it indicates an underlying inadequacy of resilience. This "strength" transcends mere physical prowess; it encompasses moral, emotional, and spiritual fortitude—the inner resources required to endure life's challenges. The proverb implicitly encourages believers to cultivate such enduring strength, often derived from a deeper faith and reliance on God. True strength, in the biblical sense, is often measured by the ability to stand firm in times of weakness, drawing upon a source beyond oneself. It warns against a superficial or untested character, urging the pursuit of profound spiritual roots that can sustain one through all circumstances.

H2 Bonus sectionThe profound wordplay in Proverbs 24:10, using the Hebrew root צָר (tsar), highlights the verse's diagnostic nature. Tsarah (adversity) means "narrowness" or "distress," implying that trouble is a "squeezing" or "constricting" experience. When faced with this tsarah, if one's strength (koach) is found to be tsar (small, narrow), it reveals an alarming correspondence: narrow circumstances expose a narrow capacity within. This deep linguistic connection reinforces that adversity doesn't just happen to us; it exposes us, revealing our inherent lack or reliance on external things rather than true internal fortitude. It aligns with broader biblical teachings that God allows trials to purify and test us, ultimately growing us beyond our natural limitations (e.g., Job 23:10; 1 Pet 1:6-7), reminding us that our true strength often comes from His infinite supply when our own proves deficient (2 Cor 12:9-10).