Proverbs 5:11 — Word Study
WLCוְנָהַמְתָּ֥ בְאַחֲרִיתֶ֑ךָ בִּכְל֥וֹת בְּ֝שָׂרְךָ֗ וּשְׁאֵרֶֽךָ׃
BSAAt the end of your lifeʼachărîyth [latter, final, when your time on earth is complete] you will groannâham [mourn, be in distress] when your fleshbâsâr [body, mortal frame] and your bodyshᵉʼêr [physical being, earthly temple] are spentkâlâh [consumed, completely used up]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְנָהַמְתָּ֥ | and you will groan | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect second person masculine singular |
| בְאַחֲרִיתֶ֑ךָ | at end your | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| בִּכְל֥וֹת | when wastes away | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| בְּ֝שָׂרְךָ֗ | flesh your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וּשְׁאֵרֶֽךָ׃ | and body your | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent, |
| KJV | And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, |
| ASV | And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed, |
| YLT | And thou hast howled in thy latter end, In the consumption of thy flesh and thy food, |
| WEB | You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed, |
| BBE | And you will be full of grief at the end of your life, when your flesh and your body are wasted; |
Translations agree on the core meaning of נָהַם as 'groan'.
The main verb is followed by a prepositional phrase that specifies the condition under which the groaning occurs.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָהַם
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 5:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Consequences of Choicesgenerated
Proverbs 5:11 warns of the sorrow one will feel at the end of life when the physical body has been worn out. This verse emphasizes the importance of living wisely and making choices that honor one's body and spirit. It follows a warning against the dangers of temptation and the consequences of straying from a righteous path, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 7:23 | until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 32:29 | If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 5:31 | The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end? |
| 4 | Romans 6:21 | What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death. |
| 5 | Hebrews 13:4 | Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נָהַם, ve.na.ham.Tagenerated
The verb נָהַם (naham) is a Qal perfect form indicating a completed action, specifically in the second person masculine singular. It conveys the idea of groaning or lamenting, often associated with pain or distress. This word is rooted in the imagery of a lion's growl or the sound of someone suffering, highlighting the emotional weight of the moment.
The use of this word in Proverbs 5:11 suggests a deep sense of regret and sorrow that comes when one reflects on the life lived and the physical toll it has taken.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations of this verse generally agree on the key terms.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb נָהַם (naham), you will groan, serves as the main action of the verse, with the subject implied. The structure emphasizes the consequences of life choices and the inevitable reflections at its conclusion.
The sentence is complex, with prepositional phrases indicating the timing and conditions of the groaning, all of which contribute to a somber tone as the speaker warns of the end of life.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint renders נָהַם as μεταμεληθήσῃ, which means 'you will regret'. This choice shifts the focus slightly from the sound of groaning to the emotional state of regret, indicating a broader interpretation of the consequences of one's life choices.
This translation highlights the emotional response to life’s end, suggesting that the groaning is not just physical but also tied to a sense of remorse for past actions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 5:11 tells us that at the end of life, a person will experience sorrow when their body is used up. This verse serves as a reminder of the importance of making wise choices throughout life to avoid regrets later.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To groan signifies a deep emotional response, often reflecting regret or sorrow for choices made during life.
The physical state emphasizes the consequences of life choices and the inevitable decline that comes with aging.
This verse encourages reflection on current choices and their long-term impact, urging one to live wisely.
Related verses include Proverbs 7:23 and Jeremiah 5:31, which also discuss the consequences of choices.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What choices am I making today that could lead to regret in the future?
- How can I ensure that I live a life that I will not mourn at the end?
- What does it mean for my body to be spent, and how can I take better care of it?
- In what ways can I support others in making wise choices that honor their bodies and lives?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentaries, such as those by Bede, reflect on the implications of this verse, warning against the consequences of a life lived in temptation.
And you moan at the last, etc. To be prefixed from above, Lest perhaps. And the sense is: Therefore keep yourself chaste, lest you be forced to groan in punishments, when not only the carnal allurements pass away,Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 5:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd thou mourn at the last,.... Or roar as a lion, as the word (s) signifies; see Proverbs 19:12; expressing great distress of mind, horror of conscience, and vehement lamentations; and yet not
Read John Gill on Proverbs 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThou mourn at the last; bitterly bewail thy own madness and misery when it is too late. Thy flesh and thy body; thy flesh, even thy body; the particle and being put expositively. Consumed by those manifold diseases which filthy and inordinate lusts bring upon the body, of which physicians give a very large and sad catalogue, and the bodies of many adulterers give full proof.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 5:11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,Ver. 11. And thou mourn at the last.] Heb., And thou roar; as being upon the rack of an evil conscience, and in the suburbs of hell, as it were: while "the just Lord" makes thee, even here, possess the sins of thy youth, and writes bitter things against thee. The word signifies, To roar as a lion, or as the sea, or as the devil doth. For the devils believe and tremble, or roar. Grecians ascribe the original, φρισσουσι, to the roaring of the sea. When thy flesh and thy body.] By the word here rendered body, there are those who understand the radical humour, the natural moisture that maintains life, and is much…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) When thy flesh and thy body are consumed.—Ruin of health has followed ruin of property.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. When thy flesh and thy body are consumed] The word שאר shear, which we render body, signifies properly the remains, residue, or remnant of a thing: and is applied here to denote the breathing carcass, putrid with the concomitant disease of debauchery: a public reproach which the justice of God entails on this species of iniquity. The mourning here spoken of is of the most excessive kind: the word נהם naham is often applied to the growling of a lion, and the hoarse incessant murmuring of the sea. In the line of my duty, I have been often called to attend the death-bed of such persons, where groans and shrieks were incessant through the jaculating pains in their bones and flesh.…
Read AdamClarke on Proverbs 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11–14. The pangs of remorse and the upbraidings of conscience form the terrible climax to the loss of honour and health and substance. “ ‘Going down to the chambers of death,’ wise too late, the victim of his own sins remembers with unspeakable agony the voice of his teachers, the efforts of those who wished to instruct him.”—Horton.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleYet one more curse is attendant on impurity. Then, as now, disease was the penalty of this sin.
Read Albert Barnes on Proverbs 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent,
You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent,
And at the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are wasted away.
Tyndale line
And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
And thou mourn at thy latter end, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
And thou mourne at thine end, (when thou hast consumed thy flesh and thy bodie)
Strictly literal
and thou mourn in thine end, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed;
And thou hast howled in thy latter end, In the consumption of thy flesh and thy food,
And you have howled in your latter end, || In the consumption of your flesh and your food,
While thou moanest at thy end, when thy flesh and thy body are coming to their end,
At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body waste away.
From the Latin
And thou mourn it the last, when thou shalt have spent thy flesh and thy body, and say:
Simplified
When you come to the end of your life you'll moan in pain as disease destroys your body.
And you will be full of grief at the end of your life, when your flesh and your body are wasted;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely in their wording, with four out of five words matching. The differences lie in the Greek translation's interpretation, which emphasizes regret rather than the sound of groaning.
וְנָהַמְתָּ֥ בְאַחֲרִיתֶ֑ךָ בִּכְל֥וֹת בְּ֝שָׂרְךָ֗ וּשְׁאֵרֶֽךָ׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 5:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נָהַם (naham) is a primitive root meaning to growl or groan. It describes the sounds made by a lion or the groans of someone in suffering. The entries consistently emphasize these meanings without significant disagreement.
[נָהַם] vb. growl, groan
base
H5098 [נָהַם] growl, groan
5098 naham naw-ham'
a primitive root; to growl:--mourn, roar(-ing).
נָהַם (na.ham) — to groan.
1) to growl, groan
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to growl (of lion)
1a2) to groan (of sufferer)
Conj | V-Qal-2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singularHc/Vqq2ms
gron (na'aq, 'anaq; stenazo, embrimaomai): The English word, noun and verb, is an attempt to imitate the vocal sound which is expressive of severe pain or distress, physical or mental. It is cognate with the Scottish dialect word girn, and with grin in its original obsolete sense, as used in the Anglican Prayer-book version of Ps 59:6,14, "grin like a dog and go about the city"; here "grin" is a translation of hamah, and means the sound of the nightly howling of the pariah dogs in Jerusalem and other oriental cities. It is used in the Old Testament:
(1) To denote the expression accompanying physical suffering, as in the case of the Israelites in Egypt oppressed by Pharaoh's taskmasters (Ex 2:24; 6:5), or in Palestine under the yoke of the Canaanites (
אַחֲרִית (achariyth) means 'end' or 'after-part' and encompasses concepts like the future, posterity, and remnants. It can refer to the last time or the latter part of events, often with prophetic implications. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be behind' and is noted in various contexts, including discussions of time and lineage.
אַחֲרִית 61 n.f. after-part, end
base
H319 אַחֲרִית after-part, end
319 'achariyth akh-ar-eeth'
from 310; the last or end, hence, the future; also
posterity:--(last, latter) end (time), hinder (utter) -most,
length, posterity, remnant, residue, reward.
see HEBREW for 0310
אַחֲרִית (a.cha.rit) — end.
1) after part, end
1a) end, issue, event
1b) latter time (prophetic for future time)
1c) posterity
1d) last, hindermost
Aramaic equivalent: a.cha.rit (אַחֲרִית "latter" H0320)
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a primitive root meaning to end or finish. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to complete, accomplish, perish, and destroy. The entries indicate various uses in both intransitive and transitive forms, covering actions like finishing a task or causing something to cease. Notably, it can also imply negative connotations, such as plotting or destruction.
כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
Qal
be complete, at an end, of a period of time
be completed, finished, of a work
be accomplished, fulfilled
be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
waste away, be exhausted, fail
come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
Pi.
complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
complete a period of time
finish doing a thing
make an end, end
accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
accomplish in thought, determine
put an end to, cause to cease
cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
destroy, sts. exterminate
base
H3615 כָּלָה be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent .. . be complete, at an end, of a period of time
. be completed, finished, of a work
. be accomplished, fulfilled
. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
. . be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
. waste away, be exhausted, fail
. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
. . . complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
. complete a period of time
. finish doing a thing
. make an end, end
. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
. accomplish in thought, determine
. . put an end to, cause to cease
. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
. destroy, sts. exterminate
3615 kalah kaw-law'
a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be
finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare,
consume):--accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine,
destroy (utterly), be (when ... were) done, (be an) end (of),
expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, X fully, X
have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make
clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: finish.
: finish
1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be complete, be at an end
1a2) to be completed, be finished
1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled
1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense)
1a5) to be spent, be used up
1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail
1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish
1b2) to complete (a period of time)
1b3) to finish (doing a thing)
1b4) to make an end, end
1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought)
1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease
1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
1b9) to destroy, exterminate
1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: destroy.
: destroy
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
בָּשָׂר (basar) means 'flesh' and encompasses various meanings, including the physical body, kinship, and a euphemism for male genitalia. It can refer to humans, animals, and all living things, highlighting the frailty of man in relation to God. The entries consistently emphasize its bodily and relational aspects.
בָּשָׂר 266 n.m. flesh
of the body
flesh for the body itself
male organ of generation (euphemism)
flesh for kindred, blood-relations
man over against God as frail or erring
base
H1320 בָּשָׂר flesh . of the body
. flesh for the body itself
. male organ of generation (euphemism)
. flesh for kindred, blood-relations
. man over against God as frail or erring
1320 basar baw-sawr'
from 1319; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body,
person; also (by euphem.) the pudenda of a man:--body, (fat,
lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin.
see HEBREW for 01319
בָּשָׂר (ba.sar) — flesh.
1) flesh
1a) of the body
1a1) of humans
1a2) of animals
1b) the body itself
1c) male organ of generation (euphemism)
1d) kindred, blood-relations
1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God)
1f) all living things
1g) animals
1h) mankind
Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2ms
שְׁאֵר (sh'er) refers to flesh, potentially originating from the inner flesh next to the bones. It encompasses meanings related to food, physical power, and kinship, indicating a connection by blood. The term can also imply self or body. There is a related term, שַׁאֲרָה (sha.a.rah), meaning 'kinswomen'.
שְׁאֵר n.m. flesh (perh. orig. the inner flesh, full of blood, next to the bones)
flesh
as food
fig. for physical power
in HP = flesh- (= blood-) relation (i.e. one near of kin)
= self
base
H7607 שְׁאֵר flesh (perh. orig. the inner flesh, full of blood, next to the bones)
7607 sh'er sheh-ayr'
from 7604; flesh (as swelling out), as living or for food;
generally food of any kind; figuratively, kindred by blood:--
body, flesh, food, (near) kin(-sman, -swoman), near (nigh) (of
kin).
see HEBREW for 07604
שְׁאֵר (she.er) — flesh.
1) flesh, food, body, near kin, near kinswoman
1a) flesh
1a1) as food
1a2) for physical power (fig)
1b) flesh relation, blood relation
1c) self
Also means: sha.a.rah (שַׁאֲרָה "kinswomen" H7608)
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms