Proverbs 12:26
New International Version
The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

New Living Translation
The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.

English Standard Version
One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Berean Standard Bible
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.

King James Bible
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

New King James Version
The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

New American Standard Bible
The righteous person is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

NASB 1995
The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

NASB 1977
The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Legacy Standard Bible
The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked makes them wander about.

Amplified Bible
The righteous man is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Christian Standard Bible
A righteous person is careful in dealing with his neighbor, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A righteous man is careful in dealing with his neighbor, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.

American Standard Version
The righteous is a guide to his neighbor; But the way of the wicked causeth them to err.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The righteous gives good counsel to his friend and the way of the evil will mislead them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A just arbitrator shall be his own friend; but mischief shall pursue sinners; and the way of ungodly men shall lead them astray.

Contemporary English Version
You are better off to do right, than to lose your way by doing wrong.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He that neglecteth a loss for the sake of a friend, is just: but the way of the wicked shall deceive them.

English Revised Version
The righteous is a guide to his neighbour: but the way of the wicked causeth them to err.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A righteous person looks out for his neighbor, but the path of wicked people leads others astray.

Good News Translation
The righteous person is a guide to his friend, but the path of the wicked leads them astray.

International Standard Version
The righteous person is cautious with respect to his neighbor, but the lifestyle of the wicked leads them astray.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The righteous is guided by his friend; But the way of the wicked leadeth them astray.

Literal Standard Version
The righteous searches his companion, | And the way of the wicked causes them to err.

Majority Standard Bible
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.

New American Bible
The just act as guides to their neighbors, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

NET Bible
The righteous person is cautious in his friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

New Revised Standard Version
The righteous gives good advice to friends, but the way of the wicked leads astray.

New Heart English Bible
A righteous person is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Webster's Bible Translation
The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

World English Bible
A righteous person is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Young's Literal Translation
The righteous searcheth his companion, And the way of the wicked causeth them to err.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Loving Discipline and Knowledge
25Anxiety weighs down the heart of a man, but a good word cheers it up. 26A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray. 27A lazy man does not roast his game, but a diligent man prizes his possession.…

Cross References
Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety weighs down the heart of a man, but a good word cheers it up.

Proverbs 12:27
A lazy man does not roast his game, but a diligent man prizes his possession.

Proverbs 16:29
A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.


Treasury of Scripture

The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor: but the way of the wicked seduces them.

righteous

Proverbs 12:13
The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

Proverbs 17:27
He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Psalm 16:3
But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

excellent or abundant

Psalm 18:12,13
At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire…

James 1:13,14
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: …

2 Peter 2:18-22
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error…

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Astray Cause Causeth Cautious Companion Err Error Evil Evil-Doers Excellent Friend Friendship Guide Guided Guideth Leads Neighbor Neighbour Righteous Searcheth Turns Upright Way Wicked
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Astray Cause Causeth Cautious Companion Err Error Evil Evil-Doers Excellent Friend Friendship Guide Guided Guideth Leads Neighbor Neighbour Righteous Searcheth Turns Upright Way Wicked
Proverbs 12
1. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge














(26) The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour.--Though, perhaps, inferior to him in worldly advantages. Or, it may signify, the just man is a guide to his neighbour, showing him "the way wherein he should walk;" the wicked, on the other hand, so far from guiding others, himself helplessly wanders.

Verse 26. - The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. This rendering has the authority of the Chaldee, and would signify that a good man is superior to others morally and socially, is more respected and stands higher, though his worldly position be inferior. But the clause is better translated, The just man is a guide to his neighbour, directs him in the right way; as the Syriac puts it, "gives good counsel to his friend." Septuagint, "The righteous wise man (ἐπιγνώμων) will be a friend to himself;" Vulgate, "He who regards not loss for a friend's sake is righteous," which is like Christ's word, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Hitzig, Delitzsch, and others, reading differently, translate, "A just man spieth out (or, looketh after) his pasture; i.e. he is not like the sinner, hampered and confined by the chain of evil habits and associations, but is free to follow the lead of virtue, and to go whither duty and his own best interests call him. This gives a very good sense, and makes a forcible antithesis with the succeeding clause. But the way of the wicked seduceth them; "causes them, the wicked, to err." Far from guiding others aright, the wicked, reaping the moral consequences of their sin, drift hopelessly astray themselves. Before the last clause some manuscripts of the Septuagint add, "But the judgments of the wicked are harsh; evils shall pursue sinners" (Proverbs 13:21). The whole is probably a gloss.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A righteous man
צַדִּ֑יק (ṣad·dîq)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

is cautious
יָתֵ֣ר (yā·ṯêr)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8446: To meander, about, for, trade, reconnoitring

in friendship,
מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ (mê·rê·‘ê·hū)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow

but the ways
וְדֶ֖רֶךְ (wə·ḏe·reḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the wicked
רְשָׁעִ֣ים (rə·šā·‘îm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

lead them astray.
תַּתְעֵֽם׃ (taṯ·‘êm)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8582: To vacillate, reel, stray


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 12:26 A righteous person is cautious in friendship (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 12:25
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