The Meaning of Proverbs 21:15 Explained

Proverbs 21:15

KJV: It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

YLT: To do justice is joy to the righteous, But ruin to workers of iniquity.

Darby: It is joy to a righteous man to do what is right; but it is ruin for the workers of iniquity.

ASV: It is joy to the righteous to do justice; But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[It is] joy  to the just  to do  judgment:  but destruction  [shall be] to the workers  of iniquity. 

What does Proverbs 21:15 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 21

1  The king's heart in the hand of the Lord

What do the individual words in Proverbs 21:15 mean?

[it is] a joy for the just to do justice but destruction [will come] to the workers of iniquity
שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַ֭צַּדִּיק עֲשׂ֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן

שִׂמְחָ֣ה  [it  is]  a  joy 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
לַ֭צַּדִּיק  for  the  just 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
עֲשׂ֣וֹת  to  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט  justice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה  but  destruction  [will  come] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְחִתָּה  
Sense: destruction, ruin, terror, a breaking.
לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי  to  the  workers 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: פָּעַל  
Sense: to do, make.
אָֽוֶן  of  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָוֶן 
Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.