The Meaning of Proverbs 11:29 Explained

Proverbs 11:29

KJV: He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

YLT: Whoso is troubling his own house inheriteth wind, And a servant is the fool to the wise of heart.

Darby: He that troubleth his own house shall inherit wind; and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

ASV: He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind; And the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that troubleth  his own house  shall inherit  the wind:  and the fool  [shall be] servant  to the wise  of heart. 

What does Proverbs 11:29 Mean?

Verse Meaning

"Wind" here probably represents being left with nothing, something that cannot be grasped ( Proverbs 27:16; Job 15:2; Ecclesiastes 1:14; Ecclesiastes 1:17; Isaiah 26:18; Jeremiah 5:13; Micah 2:11). It may also imply something bad and destructive such as the dreaded Palestinian sirocco (cf. Proverbs 11:17; Joshua 7:26). The foolish man who mismanages his accounts may also have to sell himself as a servant to the wise person who is a better manager. An example would be a person who gets too far in debt and has to sell all his possessions to pay off his creditors.

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 11

1  On Deception

What do the individual words in Proverbs 11:29 mean?

He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind and servant the fool [will be] to the wise of heart
עוֹכֵ֣ר בֵּ֭יתוֹ יִנְחַל־ ר֑וּחַ וְעֶ֥בֶד אֱ֝וִ֗יל לַחֲכַם־ לֵֽב

עוֹכֵ֣ר  He  who  troubles 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָכַר  
Sense: to trouble, stir up, disturb, make (someone) taboo.
בֵּ֭יתוֹ  his  own  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִנְחַל־  will  inherit 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָחַל  
Sense: to get as a possession, acquire, inherit, possess.
ר֑וּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
וְעֶ֥בֶד  and  servant 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
אֱ֝וִ֗יל  the  fool  [will  be] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱוִיל  
Sense: be foolish, foolish.
לַחֲכַם־  to  the  wise 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
לֵֽב  of  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.