The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, ¹  but whoever chases daydreams ²  will have his fill ³  of poverty.

biblegateway Pro 28:19

He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.

The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Whoever works his land will have plenty to eat. Whoever chases unrealistic dreams will have plenty of nothing.

biblegateway Pro 28:19

He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

bibleoremus Pro 28:19

Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread, but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

Those who cultivate their land will have food in plenty, but those who follow idle pursuits will have poverty in plenty.

biblegateway Pro 28:19

He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!

He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain [persons] shall have poverty enough.

biblegateway Pro 28:19

The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, ¹  but whoever chases daydreams ²  will have his fill ³  of poverty.

¹ tn Or “will have plenty of food” (Heb “bread”); so NAB, NASB, NCV.

² tn Heb “empty things” or “vain things”; NRSV “follows worthless pursuits.”

² sn Prosperity depends on diligent work and not on chasing empty dreams. The proverb is essentially the same as Prov 12:11 except for the last expression.

³ tn The repetition of the verb strengthens the contrast. Both halves of the verse use the verb יִשְׂבַּע (yisba’, “will be satisfied; will be filled with; will have enough”). It is positive in the first colon, but negative in the second – with an ironic twist to say one is “satisfied” with poverty.