The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
Proverbs 30:15-16 NIV
Proverbs 30:15–16 paints a vivid picture of relentless desire, capturing the essence of things that never say enough. This passage calls us to reflect on our own inner appetite, not for worldly things, but for righteousness and a deeper walk with God.
Each image in this scripture speaks beyond the natural world. They serve as reflections of the inner life, urging us to consider what drives our desires. These four elements do not merely consume; they never say enough. They reveal a hunger that is persistent, unquenchable, and defining.
The grave is first, constantly receiving, never content. It reminds us of the insatiable nature of death, which claims lives daily without pause or protest. Habakkuk 2:5 calls it greedy and never satisfied. This metaphor points to forces within and around us that endlessly demand more, symbolising appetites that are never satisfied.
Then there is the barren womb, representing a silent ache—the kind that words cannot soothe. For those who long to conceive but cannot, time does not ease the hunger; it deepens it. The womb, in its longing, embodies a desire that does not tire, a hope that refuses to let go. It, too, like the others, will never say enough.
The land also appears in this divine illustration. It welcomes rainfall without resistance, soaking up every drop without declaring itself full. Its receptivity mirrors the openness we should have before God. Our hearts should remain like the soil—always ready to receive, always thirsty for more of Him.
Fire, the final image, captures our attention with its consuming nature. Fire does not ask permission; it simply burns. Whether gently or fiercely, it continues until there’s nothing else to burn. As long as there is fuel, the fire will not rest. This reminds us again: fire, like the others, will never say enough.
Each of these forces challenges us to reflect on our spiritual lives. Are we content with where we are, or is there a yearning for deeper communion with God? Do we still hunger and thirst for righteousness? Is there a holy restlessness in our souls that compels us to seek Him beyond Sunday services and quiet-time routines?
Jesus declared, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). His words highlight a powerful truth: spiritual satisfaction is promised to those who continue to hunger. But we must first embrace the discomfort of that hunger and choose not to suppress it.
In a culture quick to settle and constantly tempted by lesser pursuits, this passage calls us to become people who never say enough in our pursuit of God. Not from discontent, but from the awareness that there is always more of His presence, more of His will, more of His glory to behold.
We each carry an inner fire—an energy that drives our choices. But what fuels us? Approval, comfort, control—or the living God? Our spiritual vitality depends on what we allow to consume us. If we are to be shaped by anything, let it be a burning desire for God that never dies out.
Living It Out
Ask yourself today: Am I still hungry for God? Let this passage from Proverbs stir a longing that will not settle. Let your soul echo the cry of the fire, the womb, the land, and the grave—forces that never say enough—fix your hunger on heaven, not the earth.
Pray for a holy appetite. Stay open like the land. Burn like the fire. Wait in hope like the barren womb. Be relentless like the grave—not in despair, but in faith.
“My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” — Isaiah 26:9a (NIV)
Let your life be a testimony of someone who never says enough when it comes to knowing and loving God.