Proverbs 18:14 (DBY)

Passage

The spirit of a man sustaineth his infirmity; but a broken spirit who can bear?

Nearby Context

Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; and before honour [goeth] humility.

Proverbs 18:13 He that giveth answer before he heareth, it is folly and shame unto him.

Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man sustaineth his infirmity; but a broken spirit who can bear?

Proverbs 18:15 The heart of an intelligent [man] getteth knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Proverbs 18:16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "sustaineth", "infirmity", "broken", and "bear". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "sustaineth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "He that giveth answer before he heareth..." into verse 15's "The heart of an intelligent man getteth...", so "Spirit" and "sustaineth" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "sustaineth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.