Psalm 37:21
New International Version
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;

New Living Translation
The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.

English Standard Version
The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;

Berean Standard Bible
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.

King James Bible
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

New King James Version
The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives.

New American Standard Bible
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

NASB 1995
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

NASB 1977
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

Legacy Standard Bible
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

Amplified Bible
The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives.

Christian Standard Bible
The wicked person borrows and does not repay, but the righteous one is gracious and giving.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The wicked man borrows and does not repay, but the righteous one is gracious and giving.

American Standard Version
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; But the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The wicked borrows and does not repay and the righteous shows mercy and gives.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The sinner borrows, and will not pay again: but the righteous has compassion, and gives.

Contemporary English Version
An evil person borrows and never pays back; a good person is generous and never stops giving.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

English Revised Version
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A wicked person borrows, but he does not repay. A righteous person is generous and giving.

Good News Translation
The wicked borrow and never pay back, but good people are generous with their gifts.

International Standard Version
The wicked borrow but never pay back; but the righteous are generous and give.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not; But the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.

Literal Standard Version
The wicked is borrowing and does not repay, | And the righteous is gracious and giving.

Majority Standard Bible
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.

New American Bible
The wicked one borrows but does not repay; the righteous one is generous and gives.

NET Bible
Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous.

New Revised Standard Version
The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous are generous and keep giving;

New Heart English Bible
The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous give generously.

Webster's Bible Translation
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth.

World English Bible
The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

Young's Literal Translation
The wicked is borrowing and repayeth not, And the righteous is gracious and giving.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Do Not Envy Those who Do Wrong
20But the wicked and enemies of the LORD will perish like the glory of the fields. They will vanish; like smoke they will fade away. 21The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving. 22Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, but the cursed will be destroyed.…

Cross References
Psalm 37:26
They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.

Psalm 112:5
It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.

Psalm 112:9
He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.


Treasury of Scripture

The wicked borrows, and pays not again: but the righteous shows mercy, and gives.

borroweth

Deuteronomy 28:12,43,44
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow…

2 Kings 4:1-5
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen…

Nehemiah 5:1-5
And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews…

righteous

Psalm 112:5,9
A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion…

Deuteronomy 15:9-11
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee…

Job 31:16-20
If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; …

Jump to Previous
Borrow Borrows Dealeth Generous Generously Gives Gracious Graciously Mercy Money Others Pay Repay Repayeth Righteous Sheweth Showeth Sinner Upright Wicked
Jump to Next
Borrow Borrows Dealeth Generous Generously Gives Gracious Graciously Mercy Money Others Pay Repay Repayeth Righteous Sheweth Showeth Sinner Upright Wicked
Psalm 37
1. David persuades to patience and confidence in God,
12. by the different estate of the godly and the wicked














Verse 21. - The wicked borroweth, and pay-eth not again. The wicked man borrows with a light heart, though he may have no prospect of ever being able to repay. Living under God's curse (ver. 22), he is for the most part not able to repay; when he happens to be able, he is often not willing. But the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth (comp. Psalm 112:5, 9). The righteous has not often need to borrow (see Deuteronomy 15:6; Deuteronomy 28:12, 44). Rather, he lends and gives freely.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The wicked
רָ֭שָׁע (rā·šā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

borrow
לֹוֶ֣ה (lō·weh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3867: To twine, to unite, to remain, to borrow, to lend

and do not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

repay,
יְשַׁלֵּ֑ם (yə·šal·lêm)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7999: To be safe, to be, completed, to be friendly, to reciprocate

but the righteous
וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק (wə·ṣad·dîq)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

are gracious
חוֹנֵ֥ן (ḥō·w·nên)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2603: To bend, stoop in kindness to an inferior, to favor, bestow, to implore

and giving.
וְנוֹתֵֽן׃ (wə·nō·w·ṯên)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set


Links
Psalm 37:21 NIV
Psalm 37:21 NLT
Psalm 37:21 ESV
Psalm 37:21 NASB
Psalm 37:21 KJV

Psalm 37:21 BibleApps.com
Psalm 37:21 Biblia Paralela
Psalm 37:21 Chinese Bible
Psalm 37:21 French Bible
Psalm 37:21 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrow and don't pay back (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 37:20
Top of Page
Top of Page