New King James Version
Proverbs 3:31
31Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways;
Proverbs 3:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,
- New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways.
Context of Proverbs 3:31
29Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. 30Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; 32For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. 33The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.
Read all of Proverbs 3Proverbs 3:31 word by word
אַל־תְּ֭קַנֵּא בְּאִ֣ישׁ חָמָ֑ס וְאַל־תִּ֝בְחַ֗ר בְּכָל־דְּרָכָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 3:31
- Proverbs 23:17Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
- Proverbs 24:1Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;
- Psalms 37:1Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
- Psalms 73:3For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Galatians 5:21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
- Proverbs 1:15My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path;
- Proverbs 2:12To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things,
- Proverbs 12:12The wicked covet the catch of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
- Proverbs 22:22Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
Commentaries on Proverbs 3:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Envy thou not the oppressor - O how bewitching is power! Every man desires it; and yet all hate tyrants. But query, if all had power, would not the major part be tyrants?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27-35Verses 27-35 A marked change in style. The continuous exhortation is replaced by a series of maxims. From them to whom it is due - literally, as in the margin. The precept expresses the great Scriptural thought that the so-called possession of wealth is but a stewardship; that the true owners of what we call our own are those to whom, with it, we may do good. Not to relieve them is a breach of trust. Proverbs 3:28 Procrastination is especially fatal to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-35Verses 27-35 Our business is to observe the precepts of Christ, and to copy his example; to do justice, to love mercy, and to beware of covetousness; to be ready for every good work, avoiding needless strife, and bearing evils, if possible, rather than seeking redress by law. It will be found there is little got by striving. Let us not envy prosperous oppressors; far be it from the disciples of Christ to choose any of their ways. These truths may be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-32Those who use violence will eventually face punishment for their actions (Proverbs 1:18–32), even if they appear successful in the world (11:16). The wise will not envy them, as they are disliked by the Lord. God's friendship offers much more than anything the violent can gain.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. oppressor--or man of mischief. The destiny of successful evildoers warns against desiring their lot (Psa 37:1, 2, 35, 36).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 3:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 3
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries