Proverbs 25 · Verse 14

Proverbs 25:14

Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
Proverbs 25:14, King James Version

Proverbs 25:14 in other translations

BSBLike clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.
WEBAs clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.
ASVAs clouds and wind without rain, So is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.
YLTClouds and wind, and rain there is none, Is a man boasting himself in a false gift.
DARBYClouds and wind without rain, so is a man that boasteth himself of a false gift.
BBEAs clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.
WebsterWhoever boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

What does Proverbs 25:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. clouds--literally, "vapors" (Jr 10:13), clouds only in appearance. a false gift--promised, but not given.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 A false gift - מתת שקר mattath shaker, a lying gift, one promised, but never bestowed. "Whoso maketh greate boastes, and giveth nothing;" Coverdale. So the Vulgate: "Vir gloriosus, et promissa non complens;" "A bragging man, who does not fulfill his promises," is like clouds which appear to be laden with vapor, and like the wind which, though it blow from a rainy quarter, brings no moistness with it. So the vain boaster; he is big with promise, but performs nothing.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
He who pretends to have received or given that which he never had, is like the morning cloud, that disappoints those who look for rain.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 25:14 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.

נְשִׂיאִ֣יםne.si.'ImcloudsH5387
וְ֭רוּחַVe.Ru.achand windH7307
וְגֶ֣שֶׁםve.Ge.shemand [is] rainH1653
אָ֑יִן'A.yinthere notH369
אִ֥ישׁ'isha personH376
מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗לmit.ha.Lel[who] boastsH1984
בְּמַתַּת\־be.ma.tat-in a gift ofH4991
שָֽׁקֶר\׃Sha.kerfalsehoodH8267

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

Cross references for Proverbs 25:14

  • Proverbs 20:6

    Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

  • Luke 14:11

    For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

  • 2 Peter 2:15-19

    Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. …

  • 1 Kings 22:11

    And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

  • Jude 1:16

    These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:13-18

    For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. …

  • 2 Corinthians 11:31

    The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

  • Luke 18:10-14

    Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. …

  • Jude 1:12-13

    These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
boasteth.
20:6; 1Ki 22:11; Lu 14:11; 18:10-14; 2Co 11:13-18,31; 2Pe 2:15-19
Jude 1:12,13,16
of a false gift. Heb. in a gift of falsehood.

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

Context

  • Proverbs 25:13

    As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

  • Proverbs 25:14

    Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

  • Proverbs 25:15

    By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

Read all of Proverbs 25

Proverbs 25:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Como nubes y vientos sin lluvia, así es el hombre que se jacta de vana liberalidad.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les nuages et le vent, et point de pluie, tel est celui qui se glorifie faussement d’un présent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wolken und Wind, und kein Regen: so ist ein Mann, welcher mit trügerischem Geschenke prahlt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nubes, et ventus, et pluviæ non sequentes, vir gloriosus et promissa non complens.