The Meaning of Proverbs 20:22 Explained

Proverbs 20:22

KJV: Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

YLT: Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.

Darby: Say not, I will recompense evil: wait on Jehovah, and he shall save thee.

ASV: Say not thou, I will recompense evil: Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Say  not thou, I will recompense  evil;  [but] wait on  the LORD,  and he shall save  thee. 

What does Proverbs 20:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 20:16-30 - "the Glory Of Young Men"
What a wonderful thought is given in Proverbs 20:27! We stand like a row of unlighted candles until God's Spirit kindles us. Has the Divine Nature ever bent over your nature, communicating to it its glow and fire? If so, be very careful that no puff of wind shall extinguish that sacred spark; and see that it is supplied with the daily nutriment it requires. The whole paragraph seems to indicate the clear shining of this light, which must not be hidden under a bushel, but placed on the stand, that it may give light to all who come in. So let your light shine that men may admire neither the lamp-stand nor the wick, but the glory of the light of God radiating from you.
Such a soul will be true, Proverbs 20:17; will be wise, Proverbs 20:18; will eschew tale-bearing and flattery, Proverbs 20:19; will honor the parents that gave it birth, Proverbs 20:20; will win a good inheritance by patient industry, Proverbs 20:21; will wait on the salvation of God, Proverbs 20:22; will accept God's guidance, Proverbs 20:24; will follow mercy and truth, Proverbs 20:28; will be strong, and pure, and faithful. Such should be the glory of all young men and maidens if their old age shall be beautiful, Proverbs 20:29. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 20

1  Proper Living

What do the individual words in Proverbs 20:22 mean?

Not do say I will recompense evil Wait for Yahweh and He will save you
אַל־ תֹּאמַ֥ר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־ רָ֑ע קַוֵּ֥ה לַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע לָֽךְ

תֹּאמַ֥ר  do  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲשַׁלְּמָה־  I  will  recompense 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
רָ֑ע  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
קַוֵּ֥ה  Wait 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָוָה 
Sense: to wait, look for, hope, expect.
לַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה  for  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע  and  He  will  save 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.