The Meaning of Proverbs 20:11 Explained

Proverbs 20:11

KJV: Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

YLT: Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.

Darby: Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

ASV: Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Even a child  is known  by his doings,  whether his work  [be] pure,  and whether [it be] right. 

What does Proverbs 20:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 20:1-15 - Sobriety Industry Honesty
Strong drink is the greatest of all foes to human happiness. It gains an influence over men by fair promises, but when once it is entrenched, it mocks at the misery of its abject slave. It promises strength for the arm, joy for the heart, brilliance for the mind; but those fair promises are not kept, and the end is impotence, misery, and imbecility. Let each reader of these words henceforth utterly abjure it!
The sluggard is depicted throughout this book to stir us to diligent industry. After all, it is not by great gifts but by patient persistence that men succeed. Indeed, the highest genius is left behind by the careful plodder, if the one lacks and the other possesses this invaluable quality. "Diligent in business, serving the Lord."
All our life lies open to the eye of God. He is closely acquainted with the transactions of the bank, the office, the ledger, and the weights in the store. No lapse from perfect honesty escapes his notice; and for every act of deception there is an inevitable Nemesis. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 20

1  Proper Living

What do the individual words in Proverbs 20:11 mean?

Even by his deeds is known a child Whether pure and right what he does [is]
גַּ֣ם בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר־ נָ֑עַר אִם־ זַ֖ךְ וְאִם־ יָשָׁ֣ר פָּעֳלֽוֹ

גַּ֣ם  Even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו  by  his  deeds 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַעֲלִיל 
Sense: deed, practice.
יִתְנַכֶּר־  is  known 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
נָ֑עַר  a  child 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
אִם־  Whether 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
זַ֖ךְ  pure 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: זַךְ  
Sense: clean, pure.
יָשָׁ֣ר  right 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
פָּעֳלֽוֹ  what  he  does  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֹּעַל  
Sense: work, deed, doing.