Proverbs 23:5
Wilt thou let thine eyes fly toward them? They are gone! For riches truly make to themselves wings; They fly away like the eagle toward heaven.
Noyes Bible
In The King James Version
In Context
4Toil not to become rich; Cease from this, thy wisdom.
6Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, And long not for his dainties;
Cross References
Job 1:14when a messenger came to Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them,
Psalms 39:6Surely every man walketh in a vain show; Surely he disquieteth himself in vain; He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
Proverbs 27:24For riches last not for ever; Not even a crown endureth from generation to generation.
Ecclesiastes 5:13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, — riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt.
Isaiah 55:2Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread, And your substance for that which doth not satisfy? Listen attentively to me; so shall ye eat that which is good, And your soul shall delight itself with delicacies.
Jeremiah 39:12“Take him, and have thine eyes upon him, and do him no harm; but do to him even as he shall say to you.”
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 23:5-6
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. As some are given to appetite ( v. 2 ) so others to covetousness, and those Solomon here takes to task. Men cheat themselves as much by setting their hearts on money (though it seems most substantial) as by setting them on dainties. Observe, I. How he dissuades the covetous man from toiling and tormenting himself ( v. 4 ). "Do… Read the whole commentary →