The Meaning of Proverbs 11:3 Explained

Proverbs 11:3

KJV: The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

YLT: The integrity of the upright leadeth them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroyeth them.

Darby: The integrity of the upright guideth them; but the crookedness of the unfaithful destroyeth them.

ASV: The integrity of the upright shall guide them; But the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The integrity  of the upright  shall guide  them: but the perverseness  of transgressors  shall destroy  {08675;07703:08804} them. 

What does Proverbs 11:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 11

1  On Deception

What do the individual words in Proverbs 11:3 mean?

The integrity of the upright will guide them but the perversity of the unfaithful - will destroy them
תֻּמַּ֣ת יְשָׁרִ֣ים תַּנְחֵ֑ם וְסֶ֖לֶף בּוֹגְדִ֣ים [ושדם] (יְשָׁדֵּֽם)

תֻּמַּ֣ת  The  integrity 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֻּמָּה  
Sense: integrity.
יְשָׁרִ֣ים  of  the  upright 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
תַּנְחֵ֑ם  will  guide  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָחָה  
Sense: to lead, guide.
וְסֶ֖לֶף  but  the  perversity 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סֶלֶף  
Sense: crookedness, perverseness, crooked dealing.
בּוֹגְדִ֣ים  of  the  unfaithful 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בָּגַד  
Sense: to act treacherously, deceitfully, deal treacherously.
[ושדם]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
(יְשָׁדֵּֽם)  will  destroy  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁדַד  
Sense: to deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin, destroy, spoil.