Amplified Bible
Proverbs 4:18
18But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.
Proverbs 4:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
- New International Version (NIV)The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
Context of Proverbs 4:18
16For the wicked cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are deprived of sleep unless they make someone stumble and fall. 17For they eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day. 19The way of the wicked is like [deep] darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. 20My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings.
Read all of Proverbs 4Proverbs 4:18 word by word
וְאֹ֣רַח צַ֭דִּיקִים כְּא֣וֹר נֹ֑גַהּ הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וָ֝א֗וֹר עַד־נְכ֥וֹן הַיּֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the pathאֹ֫רַח'ôrach · wayH734
- of the justצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
- as the shiningנֹ֫גַהּnôgahh · brightnessH5051
- lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- that shinethאוֹר'ôr · to lightH215
- moreהָלַךְhâlak · to go: continueH1980
- and more unto the perfectכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
Cross-references for Proverbs 4:18
- 2 Samuel 23:4Is like the morning light when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, When the fresh grass springs out of the earth Through sunshine after rain.’
- Job 11:17And your life would be brighter than the noonday; Darkness [then] would be like the morning.
- Job 23:10But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it]. When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous].
- Psalms 84:7They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; Each of them appears before God in Zion.
- Hosea 6:3So let us know and become personally acquainted with Him; let us press on to know and understand fully the [greatness of the] Lord [to honor, heed, and deeply cherish Him]. His appearing is prepared and is as certain as the dawn, And He will come to us [in salvation] like the [heavy] rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.”
- Zechariah 14:6In that day there will be no light; the glorious ones (heavenly bodies) shall be darkened.
- Matthew 5:14“You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
- John 8:12Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
- 2 Corinthians 3:18And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
- Philippians 2:15so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness],
- 2 Peter 1:19So we have the prophetic word made more certain. You do well to pay [close] attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and light breaks through the gloom and the morning star arises in your hearts.
- 2 Peter 3:18but grow [spiritually mature] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory (honor, majesty, splendor), both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
- Revelation 21:23And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the glory (splendor, radiance) of God has illumined it, and the Lamb is its lamp and light.
- Revelation 22:5And there will no longer be night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign [as kings] forever and ever.
Commentaries on Proverbs 4:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18But the path of the just - The path of the wicked is gloomy, dark, and dangerous; that of the righteous is open, luminous, and instructive. This verse contains a fine metaphor; it refers to the sun rising above the horizon, and the increasing twilight, till his beams shine full upon the earth. The original, היום נכון עד ואור הולך holech vaor ad nechon haiyom, may be translated, "going and illuminating unto the prepared day." This seems plainly to refer to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4-20Verses 4-20 The counsel which has come to him, in substance, from his father. Compare it with 2 Samuel 23:2 etc.; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Chronicles 29:17; Psalm 15:1-5; Psalm 24:1-10; Proverbs 4:7 Or, “The beginning of wisdom is - get wisdom.” To seek is to find, to desire is to obtain. Proverbs 4:12 The ever-recurring parable of the journey of life. In the way of wisdom the path is clear and open, obstacles disappear; in the quickest activity (“when thou…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-27Verses 14-27 The way of evil men may seem pleasant, and the nearest way to compass some end; but it is an evil way, and will end ill; if thou love thy God and thy soul, avoid it. It is not said, Keep at a due distance, but at a great distance; never think you can get far enough from it. The way of the righteous is light; Christ is their Way, and he is the Light. The saints will not be perfect till they reach heaven, but there they shall shine as the sun…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-19Light symbolizes wisdom and righteousness, while darkness represents foolishness and wickedness (see Ecclesiastes 2:12–14). Light reveals actions; darkness conceals them. Righteous people have nothing to hide, but the wicked try to hide their actions and stumble over obstacles in the dark (see Matthew 4:16; 5:14–16; John 1:14; Romans 2:19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-1918-19. As shining light increases from twilight to noonday splendor, so the course of the just increases in purity, but that of the wicked is as thickest darkness, in which one knows not on what he stumbles.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 4:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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