Proverbs 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

◄ Proverbs 4:18 ►

New International Version
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

New Living Translation
The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.

English Standard Version
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

Berean Standard Bible
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

King James Bible
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

New King James Version
But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

New American Standard Bible
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

NASB 1995
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

NASB 1977
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

Legacy Standard Bible
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the fullness of day.

Amplified Bible
But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.

Christian Standard Bible
The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

American Standard Version
But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Contemporary English Version
The lifestyle of good people is like sunlight at dawn that keeps getting brighter until broad daylight.

English Revised Version
But the path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.

Good News Translation
The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until daylight has come.

International Standard Version
The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that grows brighter until the full light of day.

Majority Standard Bible
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

NET Bible
But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day.

New Heart English Bible
But the path of the righteous is like a shining light, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

Webster's Bible Translation
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day.

World English Bible
But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, "" Going and brightening until the day is established,

Young's Literal Translation
And the path of the righteous is as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,

Smith's Literal Translation
The path of the just as the light shining, going and shining even to the day prepared.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.

New American Bible
But the path of the just is like shining light, that grows in brilliance till perfect day.

New Revised Standard Version
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
But the path of the righteous is like the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
But the way of the righteous ones is like the shining light, and the light progresses until the day is established.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

A Father's Instruction
…17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. 19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. / Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. / In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. / For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. / Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Philippians 2:15
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

Ephesians 5:8-9
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, / for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Daniel 12:3
Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.

1 Thessalonians 5:5
For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

Psalm 37:6
He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun.

2 Peter 1:19
We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Isaiah 58:8
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Romans 13:12
The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Malachi 4:2
“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.

Treasury of Scripture

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.

2 Samuel 23:4
And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

Job 11:17
And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

Job 23:10
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

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Proverbs 4

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

Berean Study Bible

The path of the righteous
This phrase refers to the journey or way of life that those who are righteous undertake. In Hebrew, the word for "path" is "orach," which implies a well-trodden road or a way of living. The "righteous" are those who live in accordance with God's laws and principles. Historically, righteousness in the Old Testament context is deeply connected to covenantal faithfulness and moral integrity. The path of the righteous is not just a physical journey but a spiritual one, marked by obedience and alignment with God's will.

is like the first gleam of dawn
The imagery here is powerful, likening the life of the righteous to the early light of morning. The "first gleam of dawn" suggests a new beginning, hope, and the promise of a new day. In Hebrew, "dawn" is "shachar," which signifies the breaking of light after darkness. This metaphor indicates that the righteous experience increasing clarity and understanding as they walk in God's ways. The dawn represents the initial stages of spiritual enlightenment and growth, a time when God's truth begins to illuminate the believer's life.

shining brighter and brighter
This phrase captures the progressive nature of spiritual growth and maturity. The Hebrew concept here is one of increasing intensity and brilliance. The righteous do not remain stagnant; their understanding and experience of God's presence and truth grow continually. This reflects the biblical principle of sanctification, where believers are transformed into the likeness of Christ over time. The light of the righteous is not self-generated but is a reflection of God's glory and truth in their lives.

until midday
The culmination of the righteous path is compared to the brightness of the noonday sun, which is the fullest and most intense light of the day. In ancient times, midday was considered the time of greatest visibility and clarity. This suggests that the ultimate goal of the righteous is to reach a state of complete understanding and communion with God. Theologically, this can be seen as a foreshadowing of the believer's ultimate glorification in the presence of God, where there is no more darkness or shadow, only the full light of His presence.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) But the path of the just . . .--The just have the Lord for their light (Psalm 27:1), on them the "Sun of righteousness" has arisen (Malachi 4:2). as "the light of the morning, even a morning without clouds" (2Samuel 23:4), and this light, that is, their knowledge of God, will become clearer and clearer till the "perfect day," when they shall see Him as He is (1John 3:2). (Comp. Job 11:17; and Notes on Proverbs 6:23.) . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 18. - A contrast is drawn in this and the following verse between the path of the just and the way of the wicked. The former is, by an extremely beautiful image, likened to the light at dawn, which goes on increasing in brightness and intensity as the day advances, until at length it reaches its meridian splendour and glory. An exactly similar figure is found in David's last words (2 Samuel 23:4). The path of the just; i.e. their moral course. As the shining light (k'or nogah); i.e. as the light of dawn. The word nogah, from nagah, "to shine," is a noun, and properly signifies "brightness," "shining." "splendour." It is used also to designate the dawn, the light of the sun when it first mounts the horizon, and sheds its beams over the landscape, as in Isaiah 9:3, "Kings (shall come) to the brightness (nogah) of thy rising;" and Isaiah 62:1, "Until the righteousness thereof go forth as the brightness (nogah)" (cf. 2 Samuel 23:4, where the same word also occurs). Michaelis and Schultens refer nogah to "the path," and render, "The path of the just is splendid as the light." So Dathe and others; and in this sense it was understood by the LXX., "The path of the just shall shine as the light shines." The Vulgate renders, quasi lux splendens. That shineth more and more (holek vaor); literally, going and shining - a common Hebrew idiom denoting progression or increase. The construction of the participle holek, from halak, "to go," with the participle of another verb, is found in 1 Samuel 17:41, "The Philistine came nearer and nearer (holek v'karev);" 1 Samuel 2:26. "The child Samuel grew on more and more (holek v'hadel)" (cf. 2 Chronicles 17:12; Jonah 1:11). Unto the perfect day (ad-n'kon hayyom); Vulgate, usque ad perfectam diem. The Hebrew, n'kon hayyom, corresponds to the Greek, ἡ σταθερὰ, equivalent to "the high noon," when the sun seems to stand still in the heavens. The figure, as Fleiseher remarks, is probably derived from the balance, the tongue of the balance of day, which before or after is inclined either to the right or the left, being at midday perfectly upright, and as it were firm. So kun, the unused kal, from which n'kon, the niph. participle, is derived, is "to stand upright," and in hiph. "to be set," "to stand firm," "to be established," and hence the expression might be rendered, "until the steady, or established day," which, however, refers to the midday, or noon, and not to that point when day succeeds dawn, as Rosenmuller and Schultens on Hosea 6:3 maintain. The comparison is not extended beyond the midday, because the wish of the father was to indicate the full knowledge which the just attain in God, and which can knew of no decline. A similar figure of gradual development is found in our Lord's parable of the seed growing secretly (Mark 4:28), and is visible in Psalm 84:7, "They grow from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God." The verse illustrates the gradual growth and increase of the righteous in knowledge, holiness, and joy, all of which are inseparably connected in the career of such.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The path
וְאֹ֣רַח (wə·’ō·raḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 734: A well-trodden road, a caravan

of the righteous
צַ֭דִּיקִים (ṣad·dî·qîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

is like the first gleam
כְּא֣וֹר (kə·’ō·wr)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

of dawn,
נֹ֑גַהּ (nō·ḡah)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5051: Brilliancy

shining brighter
הוֹלֵ֥ךְ (hō·w·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

and brighter until
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

midday.
נְכ֥וֹן (nə·ḵō·wn)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3559: To be erect

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OT Poetry: Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the righteous (Prov. Pro Pr)