One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Hebrew word for "loathes" here literally means "treads upon" or "tramples underfoot," suggesting not just dislike but utter contempt and dismissal. This vivid imagery highlights how over-indulgence can lead us to scorn even the sweetest blessings, while genuine hunger—whether for food or for God—makes us cherish even the most difficult truths.
One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Solomon is exploring the different ways people experience the good things of life, contrasting abundance with scarcity. The verses around this proverb touch on themes of diligence versus laziness, the value of honest work, and how true wealth isn't always measured in material possessions. This proverb uses the powerful image of taste to show how our inner state shapes our perception of even the sweetest or most bitter things.
Ever felt so full you can't stand the sight of your favorite food? This proverb reveals a deeper danger when we're 'full' in more than just our stomachs.
This verse uses a vivid image to talk about our desires and satisfaction. When a person is completely full, even the sweetest treat, like a honeycomb, becomes repulsive. This isn't just about food; it's about our overall state of being.
Fullness Breeds Disdain
When we have everything we think we need or want, we can become complacent. Our spiritual appetite can dull, and we might start to 'loathe' or 'trample underfoot' things that are truly good and life-giving – like God's Word, His presence, or even simple acts of kindness. We might even despise the very things that could satisfy our deepest needs because we're too self-satisfied to recognize our own emptiness.
This 'fullness' can come from wealth, pride in our own abilities, or a false sense of spiritual maturity. It makes us unappreciative and blind to the blessings we already have, and to the spiritual nourishment we desperately need.
What if the most 'bitter' things could become the sweetest? This proverb flips our perspective on desire and satisfaction, pointing to a profound truth about human experience.
The second part of the verse offers a powerful contrast: 'to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.' This speaks to the reality of true need and the satisfaction it finds.
Hunger Reveals Value
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When we are truly hungry, our perspective changes. Food that might normally seem unappealing – even 'bitter' – becomes incredibly desirable. This isn't just about physical hunger; it applies to our spiritual lives as well.
A 'hungry soul' is one aware of its emptiness, its need for God, for forgiveness, for purpose, and for His presence. To such a soul, the Gospel message, which some might find foolish or offensive (bitter to their pride), becomes the sweetest thing imaginable. The path of repentance, self-denial, and following Christ, though it may involve hardship and reproach, is embraced with joy because it leads to true satisfaction.
This proverb teaches us that genuine hunger makes us appreciate what we truly need. It reveals that the things we often label as 'bitter' – like humility, repentance, or reliance on God – are actually the very things that lead to the deepest and most lasting sweetness.
This verse echoes the proverb's sentiment by highlighting that true satisfaction comes not from abundance, but from a deep spiritual hunger and thirst for righteousness, making even the 'bitter' path of discipleship sweet.
Luke 15:16The story of the prodigal son perfectly illustrates the proverb; when he was 'full' of his own ideas, even the finest food likely tasted bland, but when reduced to hunger, the 'bitter' husks were all he craved.
1 Timothy 6:6This passage speaks to the 'inconvenience that attends upon plenty' mentioned in the commentary, suggesting that contentment with what one has, even if simple, is more valuable than wealth and the satiety it can bring.
Philippians 4:11-12Paul's ability to be content in any circumstance shows a spiritual 'hunger' that finds satisfaction not in external 'sweetness' but in Christ, making all things, even hardship ('bitter'), manageable and purposeful.
Romans 14:17This verse offers a spiritual parallel, suggesting that the 'kingdom of God' is not about outward feasts ('honeycomb') but about the inner realities of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, which can be found even when outward circumstances are difficult ('bitter').
pooleProverbs 27:7: "The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet."
The full soul, a man whose appetite or desire (which is oft expressed in Scripture by the name of soul) is fully satisfied, loatheth an honey-comb, the most delicious meats. The design of this proverb is to show the inconvenience that ofttimes attends upon plenty, and the advantage of poverty, that the rich might learn moderation, and the poor content.
gillProverbs 27:7: "The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet."
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb,.... Or "tramples upon" it (a), as the word signifies, and most versions render it, expressive of contempt and abhorrence; and suits will the situation of the honeycomb, which was usually in trees and rocks in Palestine: and so might drop from thence, and be trampled upon by passengers; and especially such as are here described, whose appetites have been…
The Hebrew word for "loathes" here literally means "treads upon" or "tramples underfoot," suggesting not just dislike but utter contempt and dismissal. This vivid imagery highlights how over-indulgence can lead us to scorn even the sweetest blessings, while genuine hunger—whether for food or for God—makes us cherish even the most difficult truths.
Solomon is exploring the different ways people experience the good things of life, contrasting abundance with scarcity. The verses around this proverb touch on themes of diligence versus laziness, the value of honest work, and how true wealth isn't always measured in material possessions. This proverb uses the powerful image of taste to show how our inner state shapes our perception of even the sweetest or most bitter things.
Solomon is exploring the different ways people experience the good things of life, contrasting abundance with scarcity. The verses around this proverb touch on themes of diligence versus laziness, the value of honest work, and how true wealth isn't always measured in material possessions. This proverb uses the powerful image of taste to show how our inner state shapes our perception of even the sweetest or most bitter things.
"One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet." — The Hebrew word for "loathes" here literally means "treads upon" or "tramples underfoot," suggesting not just dislike but utter contempt and dismissal. This vivid imagery highlights how over-indulgen…
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Last reviewed October 2026