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Proverbs 14:30

A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

KJV

Vita carnium sanitas cordis ; putredo ossium invidia.

Vulgate

πρᾳύθυμος ἀνὴρ καρδίας ἰατρός, σὴς δὲ ὀστέων καρδία αἰσθητική.

LXX

A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh; But envy is the rottenness of the bones.

ASV

חַיֵּ֣י בְ֭שָׂרִים לֵ֣ב מַרְפֵּ֑א וּ/רְקַ֖ב עֲצָמ֣וֹת קִנְאָֽה

Hebrew

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In the original Hebrew

7 distinct Hebrew words appear in this verse.

וֹ
v
noun · 269×
חַי
chy
verb · 502×
י
y
noun · 591×
י
y
noun · 126×
י
y
noun · 43×
מַרְפֵּֽא
mrp'
noun · 15×
רָקָ֖ב
rqb
noun · 5×

Historic Christian voices

5 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Q. Does this commandment refer only to killing? A. By forbidding murder God teaches us that he hates the root of murder: envy, hatred, anger, vindictiveness. In God's eyes all such are murder.

Cross-references

  • 1Pet 2:1 — Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
  • 2Tim 1:7 — For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
  • Acts 5:17 — Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
  • Gen 30:1 — And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
  • Gen 31:1 — And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.
  • Jas 3:14 — But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
  • Job 5:2 — For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
  • Prov 3:8 — It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
  • Prov 4:23 — Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
  • Prov 12:4 — A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
  • Prov 12:4 — A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
  • Prov 17:22 — A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
  • Prov 27:4 — Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
  • Ps 112:10 — The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
  • Ps 119:80 — Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
  • Rom 1:29 — Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,