Proverbs 18 · Verse 14

Proverbs 18:14

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
Proverbs 18:14, King James Version

Proverbs 18:14 in other translations

BSBThe spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?
WEBA man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
ASVThe spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a broken spirit who can bear?
YLTThe spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?
DARBYThe spirit of a man sustaineth his infirmity; but a broken spirit who can bear?
BBEThe spirit of a man will be his support when he is ill; but how may a broken spirit be lifted up?
WebsterThe spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

What does Proverbs 18:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. infirmity--bodily sickness, or outward evil. The spirit, which sustains, being wounded, no support is left, except, as implied, in God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 The spirit of a man will sustain - A man sustains the ills of his body, and the trials of life, by the strength and energy of his mind. But if the mind be scoundrel, if this be cast down, if slow-consuming care and grief have shot the dagger into the soul, what can then sustain the man? Nothing but the unseen God. Therefore, let the afflicted pray. A man's own spirit has, in general, sufficient fortitude to bear up under the unavoidable trials of life; but when the conscience is wounded by sin, and the soul is dying by iniquity, who can lift him up? God alone; for salvation is of the Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Firmness of mind supports under many pains and trials. But when the conscience is tortured with remorse, no human fortitude can bear the misery; what then will hell be?

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 18:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רֽוּחַ\־Ru.ach-[the] spirit ofH7307
אִ֭ישׁ'isha personH376
יְכַלְכֵּ֣לye.khal.Kelit will endureH3557
מַחֲלֵ֑הוּma.cha.Le.husickness hisH4245
וְר֥וּחַve.Ru.achand a spiritH7307
נְ֝כֵאָ֗הne.khe.'AhstrickenH5218
מִ֣יmiwho?H4310
יִשָּׂאֶֽנָּה\׃yi.sa.'E.nahwill he bear itH5375

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 18:14

  • Proverbs 15:13

    A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

  • Proverbs 17:22

    A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

  • 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

    And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

  • 1 Peter 1:6

    Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

  • Psalms 147:3

    He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

  • James 1:2

    My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

  • 2 Corinthians 2:7

    So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

  • Psalms 77:2-3

    In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

  • Job 7:14-15

    Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

  • Job 2:7-10

    So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

  • Psalms 88:14-16

    Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

  • Psalms 38:2-4

    For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
spirit.
Job 1:20,21; 2:7-10; Ps 147:3; Ro 5:3-5; 8:35-37; 2Co 1:12; 12:9,10
Jas 1:2; 1Pe 1:6
but.
17:22; Job 6:4; 7:14,15; 10:15-17; Ps 30:9,10; 32:3,4; 38:2-4
Ps 42:10,11; 55:3,5; 77:2,3; 88:14-16; 109:22; Mr 14:33,34; 2Co 2:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 18:13

    He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

  • Proverbs 18:14

    The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

  • Proverbs 18:15

    The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Read all of Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
El ánimo del hombre soportará su enfermedad: mas ¿quién soportará al ánimo angustiado?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
L’esprit d’un homme soutient son infirmité; mais l’esprit abattu, qui le supportera?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Eines Mannes Geist erträgt seine Krankheit; aber ein zerschlagener Geist, wer richtet ihn auf?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Spiritus viri sustentat imbecillitatem suam; spiritum vero ad irascendum facilem quis poterit sustinere?