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Proverbs 30:16

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

The grave; a woman who cannot have children; dry ground that desperately needs water; and fire that never says, 'That's enough.'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

The writer is describing four things in nature that are never satisfied and always want more.

📚 Historical Context

Proverbs 30 is part of the Wisdom Literature in the Old Testament, attributed to Agur, an ancient sage who used poetic observations of the natural world to convey profound truths. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, this verse draws from everyday experiences like death, infertility, drought, and fire to illustrate things that are never satisfied, reflecting a broader tradition of Near Eastern proverbs that emphasized human limitations and the pursuit of wisdom. These sayings were meant to guide people in a society where scarcity and unfulfilled desires were common realities.

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