Proverbs 23:5 Meaning: Why Your Riches Will Fly Away
Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? Forrichescertainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.
For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.
wilt thou set thine eyes upon it, it is gone; for indeed it maketh itself wings and it flieth away as an eagle towards the heavens.
Meaning in one sentence
The Hebrew wordplay in Proverbs 23:5 shows that chasing wealth is like chasing a bird; it will take wings and escape.
Context
Proverbs 23:5 sits within a collection of sayings attributed to the wise (chapters 22, 24), offering practical guidance for daily life. Just before this verse, Solomon tells the reader not to wear themselves out pursuing riches. Verse 5 then gives the reason: wealth is not what it seems. The Hebrew uses a vivid picture, our eyes swoop down on wealth like a bird of prey, but the moment we grasp it, it grows wings and flies away like an eagle. This is not simply a financial tip. It is a wisdom lesson about where we place our hope. The surrounding verses warn against greed, envy, and trusting in human cunning. Together they call the reader to a steady trust in God rather than in uncertain riches.
Key Words
The Hebrew behind 'set your eyes' is a striking word: ta’uf, which means to cause your eyes to fly. It pictures a hawk diving on its prey. The same root appears at the end of the verse when wealth 'makes wings' and flies away like an eagle. So our eager gaze and wealth’s escape share the same motion. Meanwhile, the word for 'that which is not' is ayin, a word that means nothing, emptiness. Wealth is called a non-thing. It has no real substance. The wise person sees through it. The image is playful but sobering: we are chasing something that will vanish before we catch it.
How Christians Read This Verse
Commentators across traditions agree on the basic meaning: wealth is transitory and not to be trusted. Matthew Henry (Reformed) calls it a 'perfect drudgery' to aim at riches. The Geneva Bible notes say 'riches taketh her to her wings.' The Cambridge Bible points out the poetic wordplay between the eye’s swift glance and wealth’s swift departure. Gill’s Exposition highlights that riches are 'rather nonentities than realities.' While some traditions emphasize the moral danger of greed and others the practical wisdom of contentment, all read this verse as a call to release our grip on material things and to trust the One who provides.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to read Proverbs 23:5 as saying that having money is sinful or that all wealth disappears. The verse does not condemn riches themselves. It warns against setting your heart on them, the eager, grasping pursuit. In fact, Proverbs elsewhere teaches that wealth can be a blessing (Proverbs 10:22). The problem is not possession but fixation. This verse targets the 'eye' that flies after money, not the money itself.
Living This Out
This week, when you look at your bank balance, or when an unexpected expense wipes out a savings goal, picture the eagle. The money was never as solid as it seemed. The proverb invites you to breathe out and let go of the illusion that wealth will keep you safe. Instead, ask yourself: What am I really trusting? Am I gripping a thing that has wings? Wisdom says: hold lightly what can fly away, and hold tightly to the God who never does. Maybe that means sharing more generously than seems wise. Maybe it means thanking God for what you have right now, without worrying about tomorrow. The verse doesn’t tell you to be irresponsible with money. It tells you not to make it your god.
Main takeaway: Wealth has wings; it will fly away. Set your eyes on the God who stays.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Money and toys can disappear very fast, like a bird flying away. That is why we trust God to take care of us, not our things.
For ages 9, 12
This verse uses a fun word picture. It says wealth makes itself wings and flies away like an eagle. It means money can be here today and gone tomorrow. So the Bible warns us not to put all our hope in money, because it can’t hold us. Instead, we put our hope in God, who never changes and always provides for us.
Questions People Ask
What does it mean to 'set your eyes' on wealth in Proverbs 23:5?
The Hebrew phrase literally means to 'cause your eyes to fly' after something, like a bird swooping on prey. It describes an eager, desperate grab for money. The verse warns us not to fix our hearts on chasing riches, because they will not satisfy and will quickly vanish.
Why does the verse say wealth 'is not'?
The Hebrew word for 'not' here is 'ayin,' which means nothing or non-existent. It doesn't mean wealth doesn't exist at all, but that it has no lasting substance. It is like a shadow or a mirage, it looks real but slips away. The wise person sees that true security is found in God alone.
Is the Bible saying money is evil in this verse?
No. The verse does not say money is evil. It warns about the danger of setting your heart on it. Throughout Proverbs, wealth is sometimes a blessing. The problem is when we trust in riches or chase them as our ultimate goal. That kind of fixation leads to disappointment and spiritual emptiness.
What is the wordplay in the original Hebrew?
The same Hebrew root (עוף, 'uf) is used twice: first when the eye 'flies' after wealth, and then when wealth 'makes wings' and flies away. The wordplay shows that our eager pursuit and wealth's escape are the same motion, like grasping at a bird that takes off just as you reach it. It is a clever warning about futility.
How should this verse affect my attitude toward saving and spending?
The verse calls you to hold money with open hands. You can save wisely and plan for the future, but don't trust in your savings as if they cannot disappear. Recognize that God provides for you, and be generous with what you have. Your security is in God, not in the size of your bank account.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study