Proverbs 23:5 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 23:5 mean?

Proverbs 23:5 warns that wealth is fleeting and unreliable, using the image of riches growing wings and flying away like an eagle toward the sky. The verse cautions against fixing your attention or hopes on money, because it can disappear quickly and unexpectedly.

In this proverb, a wise teacher addresses a listener who might be tempted to chase after wealth. The verse uses vivid language to show how money can vanish, emphasizing that riches are not a stable foundation for life. The image of an eagle soaring away highlights how easily and swiftly riches can be lost, urging the reader to be cautious about trusting in material things.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 23:5

• "Set" (עוף, `uf): This word is often used for flying or soaring, and here it connects both to the idea of "setting your eyes" and to the riches "flying away." The repetition emphasizes how quickly wealth can disappear.
• "Certainly" / "Make" (עשה, `asah): This word means "to make" or "to do," and in this verse, it is used to show that riches actively "make themselves wings." The phrase stresses that the loss of wealth is almost inevitable, as if riches have a will of their own.
• "Wings" (כנף, kanaph): The word for "wings" creates a strong visual, making the idea of riches escaping feel vivid and almost alive.
• "Eagle" (נשר, nesher): The eagle is a powerful, swift bird, and its mention here underlines how quickly and completely wealth can vanish—far out of reach.

Why Proverbs 23:5 matters

• Proverbs 23:5 clarifies that the pursuit of wealth is unstable, challenging the common belief that money brings lasting security.
• The verse’s imagery connects to the surrounding context, where the teacher warns against envying or trusting in the riches of others.
• By using the eagle and wings, the proverb emphasizes not just the loss of wealth, but the speed and inevitability of its disappearance, encouraging a more thoughtful attitude toward material possessions.