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Imperfect Human Desire Can Never be Fully Satisfied

Proverbs 15:11 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before Jehovah;
how much more the hearts of men!

The phrase “Sheol and Abaddon” is a reference to the place of the dead in Hebrew tradition. Sheol is often depicted as a place of darkness and oblivion, and Abaddon is often depicted as a place of destruction or ruin. Sheol: (שְׁאֹל sheol) Sheol occurs sixty-six times in the UASV. The Greek Septuagint renders Sheol as Hades. It is the grave. It has the underlying meaning of a place of the dead, where they are conscious of nothing, awaiting a resurrection, for both the righteous and the unrighteous. (Gen. 37:35; Psa. 16:10; Ac 2:31; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) It corresponds to “Hades” in the NT. It does not involve torment and punishment.

The verse is saying that both Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, meaning that they are always hungry for more souls to claim. Additionally, the verse says that the eyes of man are never satisfied, suggesting that human beings are always seeking more and can never truly be satisfied with what they have.

Overall, the verse is warning that there is always something more that we think we need and that this desire can never be fully satisfied. It is urging us to be content with what we have and to focus on what truly matters.

“Sheol” refers to the Hebrew concept of the place of the dead, often translated as “grave” or “gravedom.”
“Abaddon” is a Hebrew word meaning “destruction” or “ruin.” It is often used as a name for the place of the dead or as a personification of death.
“Lie open” means that they are always hungry or always wanting more.
“The eyes of man” refer to the desires or wants of a person.

In this verse, the writer is saying that death (represented by Sheol and Abaddon) and the desires of people are never satisfied. They are always hungry for more. This could be interpreted as a warning against greed or a reminder that death is inevitable and cannot be avoided.