The one whose appetite ¹  is satisfied loathes honey, but to the hungry mouth ²  every bitter thing is sweet.

biblegateway Pro 27:7

A sated man loathes honey, But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet.

A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb, but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.

One who is full despises honey, but to one who is hungry, even bitter food tastes sweet.

biblegateway Pro 27:7

He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.

bibleoremus Pro 27:7

The sated appetite spurns honey, but to a ravenous appetite even the bitter is sweet.

Someone who is full may refuse honey from the comb, but to the hungry even bitter food tastes sweet.

biblegateway Pro 27:7

A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

biblegateway Pro 27:7

The one whose appetite ¹  is satisfied loathes honey, but to the hungry mouth ²  every bitter thing is sweet.

¹ tn Traditionally, “soul” (so KJV, ASV). The Hebrew text uses נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) here for the subject – the full appetite [“soul”]. The word refers to the whole person with all his appetites. Here its primary reference is to eating, but it has a wider application than that – possession, experience, education, and the like.

² tn Here the term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, traditionally, “soul”) is used again, now in contrast to describe the “hungry appetite” (cf. NRSV “ravenous appetite”), although “hungry mouth” might be more idiomatic for the idea. Those whose needs are great are more appreciative of things than those who are satisfied. The needy will be delighted even with bitter things.