The Meaning of Proverbs 4:16 Explained

Proverbs 4:16

KJV: For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

YLT: For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not some to stumble.

Darby: For they sleep not except they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away unless they have caused some to fall.

ASV: For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

Discover Proverbs 4:16

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Proverbs 4:16?

MEANING: What does Proverbs 4:16 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Proverbs 4:16 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Proverbs 4:16?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For they sleep  not, except they have done mischief;  and their sleep  is taken away,  unless they cause [some] to fall  {08675;03782:08799}. 

What does Proverbs 4:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 4:10-27 - Guide-Posts On The Way Of Life
One or two sentences stand out in this section, demanding special attention. The path of the just, etc., Proverbs 4:18. We may compare this beautiful similitude with 2 Samuel 23:4. In the East, where the heavens are for the most part free of cloud, the steadily increasing light of any day to perfect noontide glory is the ordinary experience. Let us so live that the path of our life may become ever more radiant and beneficent in its heat and light.
Keep thy heart, etc., Proverbs 4:23. "Above all keeping," margin. The gates of the heart need careful scrutiny. When we are careless, thoughts creep in with malign intent. We should imitate the good Nehemiah 13:19. Ask that pure and holy angels may stand sentry as at the gates of pearl, Revelation 21:12. If you think right, you will live right.
Ponder the path, etc., Proverbs 4:26. "Weigh carefully." Act in haste and repent at leisure! Ask God to keep you back from presumptuous sins; and bear in mind the wise exhortation of Ecclesiastes 5:2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 4

1  persuades to wisdom
14  and to show wickedness
20  He exhorts to sanctification

What do the individual words in Proverbs 4:16 mean?

For not they do sleep unless not they have done evil and is taken away their sleep - they make [someone] fall
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א יִֽ֭שְׁנוּ אִם־ לֹ֣א יָרֵ֑עוּ וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם [יכשולו] (יַכְשִֽׁילוּ)

יִֽ֭שְׁנוּ  they  do  sleep 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָשֵׁן 
Sense: to sleep, be asleep.
אִם־  unless 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
יָרֵ֑עוּ  they  have  done  evil 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מֵרֵעַ 
Sense: to be bad, be evil.
וְֽנִגְזְלָ֥ה  and  is  taken  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּזַל  
Sense: to tear away, seize, plunder, tear off, pull off, rob, take away by force.
שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם  their  sleep 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שֵׁנָא 
Sense: sleep.
[יכשולו]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
(יַכְשִֽׁילוּ)  they  make  [someone]  fall 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּשַׁל  
Sense: to stumble, stagger, totter.

What are the major concepts related to Proverbs 4:16?

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Similar Scriptures for Proverbs 4:16

Psalms 36:4 [6]
Micah 2:1 [5]
Proverbs 1:16 [3]
Isaiah 57:20 [3]
2 Peter 2:14 [2]
John 18:28 [1]
Luke 22:66 [0]