“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 20:14
What does Proverbs 20:14 mean?
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Proverbs 20:14
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This verse captures the subtle dishonesty of the marketplace: the buyer falsely claims the goods are worthless, not to actually reject them, but to manipulate the seller into a lower price. What's truly striking is the shift in his attitude once the deal is done; he then boasts of his shrewdness, revealing his earlier complaints were simply a tactic to exploit another person's trust.
“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears in a collection of wisdom sayings where Solomon contrasts the ways of the righteous and the wicked, particularly in their interactions and character. Immediately preceding this, the text discusses the dishonesty of a false balance and the general condemnation of such deceit in trade. Following this verse, the focus shifts to the importance of God's blessing and the nature of a person's spirit.
Ever felt the urge to haggle hard, maybe even a little unfairly? This verse dives into that exact practice.
The Buyer's Tactic
This proverb highlights a common, yet deceitful, practice in trade: the buyer who criticizes and devalues an item to get a lower price.
What’s the feeling you get when you think you’ve really pulled one over on someone? This proverb captures that moment.
The Pride in Deception
The verse doesn't stop with the buyer's criticism; it reveals what happens after the deal is done.
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This passage condemns dishonest business practices, highlighting how people 'use dishonest scales' and 'store up violence and robbery,' mirroring the buyer's deceitful boasting after a dishonest transaction.
Luke 3:14When soldiers ask John the Baptist what they should do, he tells them not to 'extort money from anyone by force or by accusation,' which touches on the theme of dishonest gain and the boasting that might follow.
Amos 8:5-6This prophetic passage directly addresses the corrupt practices of merchants, who belittle their goods to cheat customers and desire for the 'weak to be sold for silver,' a clear parallel to the buyer's manipulative tactics and subsequent self-congratulation.
James 4:16James warns, 'But you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil,' directly condemning the very spirit of pride and self-congratulation that the buyer in Proverbs exhibits after his deceptive dealings.
barnesProverbs 20:14: "It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth."
Naught - Bad, worthless 2 Kings 2:19 .
ellicottProverbs 20:14: "It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth."
(14) It is naught, saith the buyer.— He cries down the goods he wants to purchase. Then he boasteth.—How he has outdone the seller, and got the goods below their value. For other notices of cheating in trade see above on Proverbs 11:1.
This verse captures the subtle dishonesty of the marketplace: the buyer falsely claims the goods are worthless, not to actually reject them, but to manipulate the seller into a lower price. What's truly striking is the shift in his attitude once the deal is done; he then boasts of his shrewdness, revealing his earlier complaints were simply a tactic to exploit another person's trust.
This verse appears in a collection of wisdom sayings where Solomon contrasts the ways of the righteous and the wicked, particularly in their interactions and character. Immediately preceding this, the text discusses the dishonesty of a false balance and the general condemnation of such deceit in trade. Following this verse, the focus shifts to the importance of God's blessing and the nature of a person's spirit.
This verse appears in a collection of wisdom sayings where Solomon contrasts the ways of the righteous and the wicked, particularly in their interactions and character. Immediately preceding this, the text discusses the dishonesty of a false balance and the general condemnation of such deceit in trade. Following this verse, the focus shifts to the importance of God's blessing and the nature of a person's spirit.
"“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts." — This verse captures the subtle dishonesty of the marketplace: the buyer falsely claims the goods are worthless, not to actually reject them, but to manipulate the seller into a lower price. What's…
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Last reviewed October 2026