The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The treasures gained through deceit aren't just temporary, but are actively linked to the pursuer's own demise, like chasing a mirage that leads directly into a fatal trap. The pursuit itself is described as a dangerous entanglement, not just a foolish endeavor.
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast the righteous path with the wicked one. It follows verses that highlight the importance of justice and righteousness over mere sacrifice, setting the stage for a critique of dishonest gain. The verses immediately after will explore the pitfalls of hasty judgments and the secure foundations of integrity.
Ever chased something that vanished as soon as you touched it? The Bible paints a stark picture of dishonest wealth.
Proverbs 21:6 tells us that treasures gained through deceit are like a "fleeting vapor." This isn't just a poetic image; it highlights the absolute instability and lack of substance in wealth acquired dishonestly.
More Than Just Unstable
What if the very things we chase for gain are actually leading us toward destruction?
The verse doesn't just stop at the instability of the treasures; it reveals the deadly consequence for the pursuer. The phrase "a snare of death" points to a trap that ensnares the one who employs dishonesty.
The Danger Zone
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Understand the original words
otsar · Hebrew Noun
Something acquired or accumulated; in Proverbs, often contrasted with true wisdom or spiritual riches, highlighting the vanity of ill-gotten wealth.
lashon sheqer · Hebrew Noun
Deceitful or false speech; a direct violation of God's truth, often used in Proverbs to characterize the wicked who use their words to manipulate or harm.
hebel · Hebrew Noun
Something transitory, insubstantial, or vanishing like mist; used metaphorically for that which has no lasting value or foundation.
moqesh · Hebrew Noun
A trap or device used to ensnare game; biblically, it refers to the inevitable consequences and destruction that sin brings upon those who pursue it.
This verse directly parallels the idea that choosing wrongly in the pursuit of gain leads to destruction, highlighting the ultimate danger of ill-gotten wealth.
1 Timothy 6:9-10This passage warns against the love of money and the destructive paths people go down to gain wealth, resonating with the 'snare of death' aspect of Proverbs 21:6.
James 5:1-3James echoes Proverbs by directly addressing the wealthy who have gained riches through dishonest means, describing their treasures as corrupted and a future burden, a vivid picture of vanity and impending judgment.
Jeremiah 17:11This verse speaks about wealth gained unjustly being like a partridge that broods on eggs it did not lay, emphasizing the impermanence and ultimate loss of such ill-gotten gains, much like the 'fleeting vapor' in Proverbs.
barnesProverbs 21:6: "The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death."
Vanity - Or, "a breath driven to and fro of those that are seeking death." Another reading of the last words is: "of the snares of death" (compare 1 Timothy 6:9 ). Some commentators have suggested that the "vapor" or "mist" is the mirage of the desert, misleading those who follow it, and becoming a "net of death."
ellicottProverbs 21:6: "The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death."
(6) Is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. —Rather, is (as) the driven (fleeting) breath of those who are seeking death. They are seeking in reality not riches, but death, and these riches will vanish like their own breath. (Comp. Wisdom Of Solomon 5:14 ; Psalm 68:2 ).
The treasures gained through deceit aren't just temporary, but are actively linked to the pursuer's own demise, like chasing a mirage that leads directly into a fatal trap. The pursuit itself is described as a dangerous entanglement, not just a foolish endeavor.
This proverb is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast the righteous path with the wicked one. It follows verses that highlight the importance of justice and righteousness over mere sacrifice, setting the stage for a critique of dishonest gain. The verses immediately after will explore the pitfalls of hasty judgments and the secure foundations of integrity.
This proverb is part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast the righteous path with the wicked one. It follows verses that highlight the importance of justice and righteousness over mere sacrifice, setting the stage for a critique of dishonest gain. The verses immediately after will explore the pitfalls of hasty judgments and the secure foundations of integrity.
"The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death." — The treasures gained through deceit aren't just temporary, but are actively linked to the pursuer's own demise, like chasing a mirage that leads directly into a fatal trap. The pursuit itself is desc…
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Last reviewed October 2026