Translation commentary on Proverbs 23:8

“You will vomit up the morsels which you have eaten”: The meaning of the verb “vomit up” is clear, but it is not so clear how this line relates to the earlier part of the saying. One possibility is that it is the food that makes the guest sick, because it tastes bad or turns his stomach. A translation that takes this approach says “That food of his will make you vomit.” Another possibility is that it is the attitude of the host that makes the guest sick. A translation that follows this approach says “When you see through this man’s behavior, you will want to vomit up what you have eaten.” “Morsels” are small pieces of food, but the word is simply taken by some to refer to “the food you have eaten.” Others, however, try to put some emphasis on the idea of the small pieces of food; New Revised Standard Version and New International Version, for instance, say “You will vomit up the little you have eaten,” and Contemporary English Version says colorfully “Each bite will come back up.”

“And waste your pleasant words”: This is literally “and you will spoil your delightful words.” The way we express this will depend on our understanding of the context in which the “words” are spoken. Some understand that the person has used words of praise or fine words to get the host to invite him to a meal; in this case a suitable translation would be something like “and will have wasted your compliments” (New International Version) or “and all your compliments will have been wasted” (Revised English Bible). Revised Standard Version and others apparently take “delightful words” to refer more generally to conversation during the meal and thanks to the host for the invitation; Contemporary English Version “all your kind words will be wasted” is another way to express this.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

complete verse (Proverbs 23:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 23:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those words/matters upset your stomach/mind and you do not want to give thanks again/still.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You will vomit up all you have eaten.
    And all your praise will have been wasted.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Therefore you (sing.) spit-out what you (sing.) have-eaten and your (sing.) praising/flattering him has no value.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You (sing.) will vomit all that you (sing.) ate and your (sing.) good words will-be-wasted.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 23:8

23:8

The parallel lines in this verse give two more reasons for not eating with a stingy person. These reasons have to do with the unfortunate results that such an experience would have on the guest.

8a You will vomit up what little you have eaten

8b and waste your pleasant words.

23:8a

You will vomit up what little you have eaten: This verse does not indicate when the guest will vomit. It may be during the meal or after the guest has left.

The verse also does not indicate what will cause the guest to vomit. It may be his reaction to the disgusting insincerity of his stingy host. It may also have some connection to the food. It is recommended that you not make the cause explicit.

English versions all translate this clause in a way that indicates literal vomiting. However, some scholars think that the “vomiting” may be a metaphor or hyperbole. In that case, it would indicate that the guest feels nauseated or disgusted enough to vomit. Some ways to translate this clause are:

• Keep the idea of literal vomiting. For example:

You will vomit the little bit you have eaten (God’s Word)
-or-
Each bite will come back up (Contemporary English Version)

• Focus on the nausea or disgust that the guest feels. For example:

You will feel like you want to vomit the small amount of food that you swallow
-or-
You be completely nauseated by the few pieces/bites of food that you have eaten

what little: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “your morsel.” This phrase could have a general meaning, such as “whatever you have eaten” (New Jerusalem Bible). But probably it refers here to a small amount of food.

23:8b

and waste your pleasant words: This phrase is an additional reason for not eating with a stingy person. It is not a result of vomiting. It indicates that the kind words that the guest has spoken to thank his host or compliment him for the meal will accomplish nothing useful.

and all your kind words will be wasted (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
and waste your pleasant words (English Standard Version)

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