But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Parallel translations
- WEB The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
- KJV The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
- NKJV The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.
- NASB The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.
- NLT But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not even see what trips them. Sin blinds people to their own ruin.
Overview
Opposite the brightening path of the righteous, the wicked stumble in darkness, unaware of what causes their fall. Sin not only leads to ruin but blinds its victims to the danger. This recalls the New Testament theme of spiritual blindness from which only Christ, the light of the world, can deliver (John 8:12; 12:35).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 12:35Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
- Isa 59:9–10Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
- Job 18:5–6Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.
- Jer 23:12“Therefore their path will become slick; they will be driven away into the darkness and fall into it. For I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.
- 1 Sam 2:9He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.
- Jer 13:16Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.
- Job 18:18He is driven from light into darkness and is chased from the inhabited world.
- Prov 2:13from those who leave the straight paths to walk in the ways of darkness,
- Job 12:25They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.
- John 11:10But if anyone walks at night, he will stumble, because he has no light.”
- Job 5:14They encounter darkness by day and grope at noon as in the night.
- Matt 7:23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
- Matt 15:14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
- 1 Jn 2:11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 4:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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