New Living Translation
Proverbs 4:19
19But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
Proverbs 4:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
- New International Version (NIV)But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.
Context of Proverbs 4:19
17They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence! 18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. 20My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. 21Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
Read all of Proverbs 4Proverbs 4:19 word by word
דֶּ֣רֶךְ רְ֭שָׁעִים כָּֽאֲפֵלָ֑ה לֹ֥א יָ֝דְע֗וּ בַּמֶּ֥ה יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 4:19
- 1 Samuel 2:9“He will protect his faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone.
- Job 5:14They find it is dark in the daytime, and they grope at noon as if it were night.
- Job 12:25They grope in the darkness without a light. He makes them stagger like drunkards.
- Job 18:5“Surely the light of the wicked will be snuffed out. The sparks of their fire will not glow.
- Isaiah 59:9So there is no justice among us, and we know nothing about right living. We look for light but find only darkness. We look for bright skies but walk in gloom.
- Jeremiah 13:16Give glory to the Lord your God before it is too late. Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you, causing you to stumble and fall on the darkening mountains. For then, when you look for light, you will find only terrible darkness and gloom.
- Jeremiah 23:12“Therefore, the paths they take will become slippery. They will be chased through the dark, and there they will fall. For I will bring disaster upon them at the time fixed for their punishment. I, the Lord, have spoken!
- Matthew 7:23But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
- Matthew 15:14so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
- John 12:35Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.
- 1 John 2:11But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
Commentaries on Proverbs 4:19
- 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 4:19
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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