There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don’t withhold.
Parallel Translations
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There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don’t withhold.
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He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
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There is that coveteth greedily all the day long; but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Proverbs 21:26 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 37:26 All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.
- Psalms 112:9 He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.
- Acts 20:33-35 I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.
- Matthew 5:42 Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
- Luke 6:30-36 Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. “As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. “Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
- 2 Corinthians 8:7-9 But as you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that you also abound in this grace. I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:5-9 For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness), nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children. Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us. For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.
- 2 Corinthians 9:9-14 As it is written, “He has scattered abroad. He has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.” Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, you being enriched in everything to all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God, seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all, while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 21:26 He coveteth greedily all the day long:…
Pro 21:26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
Ver. 26. He coveteth greedily all day long.] But these greedy constant coverings come to nothing he makes nothing of them. Meteors have matter enough in the vapours themselves to carry them above the earth, but not enough to unite them to the element of fire, therefore they fall and return to their first principles. So it is with our wishers and woulders. Many came out of Egypt, that never came into Canaan; and why? The land they liked well, but complained, with those spies, of the strength of the Anakims, and the impossibility of the conquest, therefore their carcases fell in the wilderness; their sluggishness slew them. "They lusted and had not, they killed" themselves with coveting, as in the former verse, and "desired to have," as here, "but could not obtain." {Jas 4:2}
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But the righteous giveth and spareth not.] Neither necessity nor niggardice hindereth him; he hath it, and he holds that he hath no more than he giveth. He is both painful and pitiful, and what he cannot do for the poor himself, he stirs up others to do; so far is he from forbidding, or hindering any from showing mercy. Some render the words thus: The righteous giveth, and forbiddeth not. "Give a portion," saith he to his richer friend, "to seven, and also to eight, for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth." {Ecc 11:2} {See Trapp on "Ecc 11:2"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain He coveteth; the slothful man, mentioned in the last…
He coveteth; the slothful man, mentioned in the last verse. But because the verses in this book are for the most part independent one upon another, this clause is and may be otherwise rendered, There is that coveteth, &c.; or, the wicked (which may be understood from the opposition of the righteous in the next clause) coveteth, &c.
All the day long; spends his whole time in vain and lazy desires, but will not labour to get any thing, either to use himself, or to give to others.
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The righteous giveth and spareth not; by God’s blessing upon his industry he procures enough, not only for his own support, but also for the liberal relief of others.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain He coveteth greedily all the day long,.... The slothful…
He coveteth greedily all the day long,.... The slothful man does, as he has nothing to do to employ his time and his thoughts with; he is always craving something to eat and drink, or wishing he had such an estate, or so much wealth and riches, that he might live as such and such persons do; and this is what his head runs upon all the day long;
but the righteous giveth and spareth not; not gives to the slothful, which does not restrain his desire, as Aben Ezra interprets it; but to the poor and necessitous, to proper objects; a good man will work with his hands, that he may have a sufficiency for himself and his family, and may have something to give to others that are in want; and "he spares not", or withholds not his hands, neither from working nor from giving.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Coveteth - Spends his whole time in vain and…
Coveteth - Spends his whole time in vain and lazy desires. Giveth - By God's blessing upon his industry he procures enough, not only for his own support, but for the relief of others.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain All the day long - Better, every day. The…
All the day long - Better, every day. The wish of the slothful man passes into restless, covetous, dissatisfied desire; the righteous, free from that desire, gives without grudging.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain The sin of covetousness marks the sluggard, as the…
The sin of covetousness marks the sluggard, as the virtue of benevolence the righteous.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 26. Coveteth greedily — Literally, he desireth a desire;…
26. Coveteth greedily — Literally, he desireth a desire; a common Hebrew idiom expressive of intensity. This verse is supposed to refer to the preceding, the subject of the verb being the “slothful” of Pro_21:25. All the day long — Or, every day. The language seems to suggest that he is nothing and does nothing but desire. He spends his life in wishing and longing. The righteous is the opposite. He acts on his desires so effectually that he has enough for himself and some to spare for others. As he does not stop at wishing for himself, so he does not put others off with mere good wishes. On second clause compare Psa_112:9.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 26. He coveteth] We may thus with A.V., Vulg.,…
26. He coveteth] We may thus with A.V., Vulg., and others supply the subject of this clause from the preceding verse, or introduce a new subject, suggested perhaps by the preceding proverb and by contrast with the succeeding clause of this verse (ἀσεβὴς, LXX.), and so make the verse a complete proverb: There is that coveteth greedily &c.
giveth] Unlike the parched ground that covets ever, he resembles the perennial spring that gives forth unceasingly.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (26) He coveteth greedily all the day long, that…
(26) He coveteth greedily all the day long, that he may “consume it on his lusts” (Jas_4:3), while the righteous (Pro_21:21) gives to all who need, remembering that he is a steward (Luk_16:9), not an owner, and that blessing will attend upon him for so doing (Act_20:35).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain St. Jerome and many commentators connect this verse with…
St. Jerome and many commentators connect this verse with the preceding, considering the two to form a tetrastich, thus: The desire of the slothful... he coveteth greedily all the day long, but the righteous giveth and spareth not. But in this division of our book there are only pure distichs; and, as Delitzsch observes, to make the contrast, one requires in the first hemistich an expression like, "and hath nothing". (Pro_13:4; comp. Pro_20:4) So it is correct to consider this distich independent, and to translate, There is that (or one) desireth greedily always, but the righteous giveth and withholdeth not. There are claims made on all sides, demands for help, importunate prayers, such as one would think no man could satisfy; but the righteous has means enough and to spare, he is generous and charitable, he is industrious, and uses his stewardship well, (Luk_16:9) and so arranges his expenditure that he has to give to him that needeth. (Eph_4:28) Septuagint, "An ungodly man devises evil devices all the day long, but the righteous pitieth and showeth compassion unsparingly."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain v. 26. He coveteth greedily all the day long,…
v. 26. He coveteth greedily all the day long, his needs clamor to be met; but the righteous giveth and spareth not, his industry providing not only for his own needs, but for those in actual need as well.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 21:26 Generosity is a trait of the godly, while…
21:26 Generosity is a trait of the godly, while stinginess is characteristic of fools (29:7, 14). Paradoxically, the more you give, the more you get (11:24).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.