Proverbs 24:19 — Word Study
WLCאַל־ תִּתְחַ֥ר בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים אַל־ תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃
BSADo notʼal [refrain from, let not be] fretchârâh▸ [be incensed, intensely angry] over evildoersrâʻaʻ [those who do evil, the malicious] and do notʼal [never, under no circumstances] be enviousqânâʼ▸ [jealous, resentful] of the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty of sin]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַל־ | may not | Particle |
| תִּתְחַ֥ר | you fret yourself | Verb, Hithpael, jussive second person masculine singular |
| בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים | by evil-doers | Preposition, verb hiphil participle (active) masculine plural |
| אַל־ | may not | Particle |
| תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א | you be jealous | Verb, Piel, jussive second person masculine singular |
| בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃ | of wicked [people] | Preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. |
| KJV | Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; |
| ASV | Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked: |
| YLT | Fret not thyself at evil doers, Be not envious at the wicked, |
| WEB | Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked; |
| BBE | Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners: |
Where they part company is אַל — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a subordinate clause, both emphasizing the negative imperative.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָרָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 24:19
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Wisdom on Responding to Evilgenerated
Proverbs 24:19 advises not to let the actions of evildoers disturb your peace or provoke jealousy. The surrounding verses emphasize the futility of worrying about the wicked, reminding the reader that their end is bleak. This wisdom echoes throughout the book of Proverbs, where the righteous are encouraged to trust in God and not be swayed by the apparent success of the wicked.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 13:20 | He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. |
| 2 | Numbers 16:26 | And he warned the congregation, “Move away now from the tents of these wicked men. Do not touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” |
| 3 | Psalm 1:1 | Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. |
| 4 | Psalm 26:4–5 | I do not sit with deceitful men, nor keep company with hypocrites. |
| 5 | Psalm 119:115 | Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תִּתְחַ֥ר, tit.Chargenerated
The verb חָרָה (charah) is in the Hithpael stem, indicating a reflexive action — you cause yourself to be angry. It captures the essence of being incensed or intensely angry, reflecting a strong emotional response. The parsing as jussive second person masculine singular suggests a direct address, urging the listener not to engage in such feelings.
This word conveys a sense of burning anger, often associated with zeal or jealousy. In this context, it warns against allowing oneself to be consumed by anger towards those who do evil.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses fret and envious consistently across translations.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is governed by two main verbs: תִּתְחַ֥ר and תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א. Each verb is accompanied by an adverbial negative particle אַל that emphasizes the prohibition against these feelings.
The sentence is composed of two parallel clauses, both starting with the negative particle, which reinforces the instruction not to fret or be envious, creating a rhythmic balance in the advice given.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תִּתְחַ֥ר as ξαῖρε (be angry), which reflects a similar emotional response but may suggest a broader interpretation of anger rather than the specific context of fretting.
The choice of ἁμαρτωλούς for בָּרְשָׁעִֽים (wicked) indicates a focus on moral wrongdoing, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 24:19 tells us not to worry about those who do wrong or to feel jealous of wicked people. The surrounding verses remind us that the wicked will face consequences, encouraging us to focus on our own actions and trust in God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To fret means to become anxious or upset about the actions of those who do wrong, which this verse advises against.
Being envious of the wicked can lead to negative emotions and distract us from living righteously, as their end is ultimately destructive.
You can apply this verse by focusing on your own actions and maintaining peace, rather than worrying about the success or actions of those who do wrong.
Yes, it is natural to feel anger, but this verse encourages us to manage those feelings and not let them control us.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what situations do I find myself fretting over the actions of others?
- How can I cultivate a mindset that focuses on my own behavior rather than comparing myself to the wicked?
- What are some practical steps I can take to avoid feelings of jealousy or resentment?
- How does trusting in God's justice help me deal with my feelings towards evildoers?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 24:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleFret not thyself because of evil [men],.... Because of their outward prosperity and worldly happiness, any more than rejoice at their adversity; neither do the one nor the other; where the one
Read John Gill on Proverbs 24 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; Fret not thyself ... neither be thou envious at the wicked - (Proverbs 24:1; Proverbs 23:17; Psalms 37:1; Psalms 37:7.)
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 24 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFret not thyself; which translation of the word is confirmed by the parallel word in the following clause. Because of evil men; for their present impunity and good success.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 24 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil [men], neither be thou envious at the wicked;Ver. 19. Fret not thyself because of evil men.] We are wondrous apt to be sick of the fret; hence so many precepts to this purpose. See Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:1.
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 24 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19) Fret not thyself because of evil men—i.e., at the sight of their prosperity, the same difficulty which occurred to the Psalmist (Psalms 37:1). (Comp. also Psalms 73:3 and Jeremiah 12:1.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Proverbs 24 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible19. Fret not thyself — Be not excited, enraged. This proverb may be related to the preceding.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 24 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;
Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people,
Tyndale line
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; neither be thou envious at the wicked:
Fret not thyself because of evil men , neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious, neither be enuious at the wicked.
Strictly literal
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
Fret not thyself at evil doers, Be not envious at the wicked,
Do not fret yourself at evildoers, do not be envious at the wicked,
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
From the Latin
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
Simplified
Don't get all upset over the wicked, or be jealous of those who do wrong,
Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text (MT) of Proverbs 24:19 reads, "אַל־ תִּתְחַ֥ר בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים אַל־ תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃" which translates to "Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked." The Septuagint (LXX) agrees with the MT in meaning, as all six words correspond directly, though the word order and articles are different due to the nature of Greek syntax. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide a variant reading for this verse, so they also align with the MT. This agreement across the witnesses indicates a strong textual consistency for this particular verse.
אַל־ תִּתְחַ֥ר בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים אַל־ תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 24:19
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
base
H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
408 'al al
a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified
negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,
nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing
(worth), rather than.
see HEBREW for 03808
אַל (al) — not.
1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)
1a) do not, let not (with a verb)
1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)
1c) not, no (with substantive)
1d) nothing (as substantive)
Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Part — ParticleHTn
חָרָה (charah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to burn or be kindled, particularly in the context of anger or zeal. It encompasses various forms, including to glow, grow warm, or become incensed. The entries indicate its use in different stems, such as Qal (to burn), Niphal (to be angry), and Hiphil (to kindle). The lexicons do not present significant disagreement.
חָרָה vb. burn, be kindled, of anger
Qal
of man
of God
Niph. be angry with
Hiph. burned with zeal (?) in repairing; and kindled his anger against me
Hithp. heat oneself in vexation.—The foll. forms are somewhat dub.: how canst thou hotly contend (in a race) with the horses?; because thou strivest eagerly (to excel) in cedar
base
H2734 חָרָה burn, be kindled, of anger
2734 charah khaw-raw'
a primitive root (compare 2787); to glow or grow warm;
figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal,
jealousy:--be angry, burn, be displeased, X earnestly, fret
self, grieve, be (wax) hot, be incensed, kindle, X very, be
wroth. See 8474.
see HEBREW for 02787
see HEBREW for 08474
חָרָה (cha.rah) — to be incensed.
1) to be hot, furious, burn, becomeangry, be kindled
1a) (Qal) to burn, kindle (anger)
1b) (Niphal) to be angry with, be incensed
1c) (Hiphil) to burn, kindle
1d) (Hithpael) to heat oneself in vexation
V-Hithpael-Juss-2ms — Verb · Hithpael · jussive second person masculine singularHVtj2ms
רָעַע (ra`a`) is a Hebrew verb with meanings related to being evil or breaking. It encompasses a range of concepts from moral wickedness to physical shattering. The entries indicate that it can refer to causing harm or injury, as well as being displeasing or sad. There is a notable distinction in the lexicons regarding its use in ethical contexts versus physical breaking.
[רָעַע] 98 vb. denom. be evil, bad
Qal
be displeasing
be sad
be injurious, evil
be evil, wicked, ethically
Niph. suffer hurt
Hiph. 70
do an injury, hurt
do evil, wickedly
base
[רָעַע] vb. break
Qal
trans. can one break iron, iron out of the north ?
intrans. break = be broken
Hithpō‛. the earth is broken asunder
base
H7489a רָעַע vb. denom. be evil, bad H7489b רָעַע break
7489 ra`a` raw-ah'
a primitive root; properly, to spoil (literally, by breaking
to pieces); figuratively, to make (or be) good for nothing,
i.e. bad (physically, socially or morally):--afflict,
associate selves (by mistake for 7462), break (down, in
pieces), + displease, (be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat,
man), show self friendly (by mistake for 7462), do harm, (do)
hurt, (behave self, deal) ill, X indeed, do mischief, punish,
still, vex, (do) wicked (doer, -ly), be (deal, do) worse.
see HEBREW for 07462
see HEBREW for 07462
רָעַע (ra.a) — be evil.
1) to be bad, be evil
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to be displeasing
1a2) to be sad
1a3) to be injurious, be evil
1a4) to be wicked, be evil (ethically)
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to do an injury or hurt
1b2) to do evil or wickedly
1b3) mischief (participle)
רָעַע (ra.a) — to shatter.
1) to break, shatter
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to break
1a2) broken (participle)
1a3) to be broken
1b) (Hithpolel) to be broken, be broken in pieces, be broken asunder
Prep | V-Hiphil — Preposition · verb hiphil participle (active) masculine pluralHRd/Vhrmpa
אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
base
H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
408 'al al
a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified
negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,
nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing
(worth), rather than.
see HEBREW for 03808
אַל (al) — not.
1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)
1a) do not, let not (with a verb)
1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)
1c) not, no (with substantive)
1d) nothing (as substantive)
Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word קָנָא (qana') is a verb that conveys meanings related to jealousy and zeal. It can mean to be jealous, envious, or zealous, and can also imply provoking jealousy or anger. The entries highlight its use in different forms, particularly the Piel and Hiphil stems, indicating both personal feelings and actions that incite jealousy.
[קָנָא] vb. denom.
Pi. be jealous, zealous
be jealous of
be envious of
be zealous for
excite to jealous anger
Hiph. provoke to jealous anger
base
H7065 קָנָא vb. denom. Pi. be jealous, zealous
7065 qana' kaw-naw'
a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) zealous, i.e. (in
a bad sense) jealous or envious:--(be) envy(-ious), be (move
to, provoke to) jealous(-y), X very, (be) zeal(-ous).
קָנָא (qa.na) — be jealous.
1) to envy, be jealous, be envious, be zealous
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to be jealous of
1a2) to be envious of
1a3) to be zealous for
1a4) to excite to jealous anger
1b) (Hiphil) to provoke to jealous anger, cause jealousy
V-Piel-Juss-2ms — Verb · Piel · jussive second person masculine singularHVpj2ms
רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.
רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal
base
H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal
7563 rasha` raw-shaw'
from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad
person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did
wrong.
see HEBREW for 07561
רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.
1) wicked, criminal
1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)
1b) wicked (hostile to God)
1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Prep | Adj — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHRd/Ncmpa
pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…