The Meaning of Proverbs 12:21 Explained

Proverbs 12:21

KJV: There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

YLT: No iniquity is desired by the righteous, And the wicked have been full of evil.

Darby: There shall no evil happen to a righteous man; but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

ASV: There shall no mischief happen to the righteous; But the wicked shall be filled with evil.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

There shall no evil  happen  to the just:  but the wicked  shall be filled  with mischief. 

What does Proverbs 12:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The verse is also true when one considers what happens to people after death, as well as before.
"The rigid application of this law was the mainstay of Job"s comforters; but taken rightly, it is a stimulating truth as valid for Paul ( Romans 8:28 with36 , 37) as for Joseph ( Genesis 50:20)-cheaply held in prosperity, precious in adversity." [1]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 12

1  Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge

What do the individual words in Proverbs 12:21 mean?

No will overtake the righteous all manner [grave] trouble but the wicked shall be filled with evil
לֹא־ יְאֻנֶּ֣ה לַצַּדִּ֣יק כָּל־ אָ֑וֶן וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים מָ֣לְאוּ רָֽע

לֹא־  No 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְאֻנֶּ֣ה  will  overtake 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָנָה  
Sense: to meet, encounter, approach, be opportune.
לַצַּדִּ֣יק  the  righteous 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
כָּל־  all  manner 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אָ֑וֶן  [grave]  trouble 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָוֶן 
Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.
וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים  but  the  wicked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
מָ֣לְאוּ  shall  be  filled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
רָֽע  with  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.