Proverbs 27:20 (YLT)

Passage

Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 27:18 The keeper of a fig-tree eateth its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honoured.

Proverbs 27:19 As <FI>in<Fi> water the face <FI>is<Fi> to face, So the heart of man to man.

Proverbs 27:20 Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied.

Proverbs 27:21 A refining pot <FI>is<Fi> for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.

Proverbs 27:22 If thou dost beat the foolish in a mortar, Among washed things--with a pestle, His folly turneth not aside from off him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sheol", "destruction", "satisfied", and "eyes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sheol" and "destruction", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "As FI in Fi water the face..." into verse 21's "A refining pot FI is Fi for...", so "sheol" and "destruction" 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 "sheol" and "destruction" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.