Proverbs 4:17 (GNV)

Passage

For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 4:15 Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.

Proverbs 4:16 For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.

Proverbs 4:17 For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.

Proverbs 4:18 But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day.

Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "eate", "breade", "wickednesse", "drinke", "wine", and "violence". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "eate" and "breade", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "For they can not sleepe except they..." into verse 18's "But the way of the righteous shineth...", so "eate" and "breade" 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 "eate" and "breade" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.