Psalms 37:21

Amplified Bible

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

Parallel Translations

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

Geneva Bible (1587)
The wicked boroweth and payeth not againe. but the righteous is mercifull, and giueth.

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

Hebrew Names Version
The wicked borrow, and don't pay back, But the righteous give generously.

Easy-to-Read Version
The wicked borrow money and never pay it back. But good people are kind and generous.

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

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

Complete Jewish Bible
The wicked borrows and doesn't repay, but the righteous is generous and gives.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not; but the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.

King James Version (1611)
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not againe: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giueth.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The sinner borrows, and will not pay again: but the righteous has compassion, and gives.

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

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

Lexham English Bible
The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and gives.

Literal Translation
The wicked borrows and never repays, but the righteous is gracious and giving.

New Century Version
The wicked borrow and don't pay back, but those who do right give freely to others.

New English Translation
Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous.

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

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

New Life Bible
The sinful ask for something, but do not return it. But those who are right with God are kind and give.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A lawless man borroweth, and will not repay, But, a righteous man, showeth favour and giveth;

Douay-Rheims Bible
(36-21) The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

George Lamsa Translation
The wicked borrows, and pays not again; but the righteous shows mercy, and gives.

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

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

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

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The vngodly boroweth and payeth not agayne: but the righteous geueth mercifully and liberally.

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

Darby Translation
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; but the righteous is gracious and giveth:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A synnere schal borewe, and schal not paie; but a iust man hath merci, and schal yyue.

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

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

Revised Standard Version
The wicked borrows, and cannot pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;

Update Bible Version
The wicked borrows, and does not pay again; But the righteous deals graciously, and gives.

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

Bible in Basic English
The sinner takes money and does not give it back; but the upright man has mercy, and gives to others.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The vngodly boroweth and paieth not agayne, but the rightuous is mercifull & liberall.

THE MESSAGE
Wicked borrows and never returns; Righteous gives and gives. Generous gets it all in the end; Stingy is cut off at the pass.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.

Contextual Overview

²¹The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives.²²For those blessed by God will [at last] inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off. ²³The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the LORD, And He delights in his way [and blesses his path]. ²⁴When he falls, he will not be hurled down, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand and sustains him. ²⁵I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous (those in right standing with God) abandoned Or his descendants pleading for bread. ²⁶All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing. ²⁷Depart from evil and do good; And you will dwell [securely in the land] forever. ²⁸For the LORD delights in justice And does not abandon His saints (faithful ones); They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will [in time] be cut off. ²⁹The righteous will inherit the land And live in it forever. ³⁰The mouth of the righteous proclaims wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice and truth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

borroweth: Deuteronomy 28:12, Deuteronomy 28:43, Deuteronomy 28:44, 2 Kings 4:1-5, Nehemiah 5:1-5, Proverbs 22:7

righteous: Psalms 112:5, Psalms 112:9, Deuteronomy 15:9-11, Job 31:16-20, Isaiah 32:8, Isaiah 58:7-10, Luke 6:30, Acts 11:29, Acts 20:35, 2 Corinthians 8:9, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Hebrews 6:10, Hebrews 13:16

Reciprocal: Exodus 22:14 - borrow Deuteronomy 15:6 - thou shalt lend 2 Kings 4:7 - pay 2 Kings 6:5 - for it was borrowed Nehemiah 5:18 - because the bondage Psalms 37:26 - merciful Micah 7:8 - when I fall Matthew 5:42 - General Matthew 6:2 - when Romans 12:8 - with diligence

Cross-References

Genesis 9:5
"For your lifeblood I will most certainly require an accounting; from every animal [that kills a person] I will require it. And from man, from every man's brother [that is, anyone who murders] I will require the life of man.

Genesis 35:22
While Israel was living in that land, Reuben [his eldest son] went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel heard about it. The Sons of Israel Now Jacob had twelve sons—

Genesis 42:22
Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Now the accounting for his blood is required [of us for we are guilty of his death]."

Joshua 10:28
Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; he utterly destroyed it and everyone who was in it. He left no survivor. So he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Matthew 10:28
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again,.... While the wicked live, they are scandalous; they live by borrowing, which was always reckoned mean; see Deuteronomy 28:12; and what is worse, as they borrow, they do not design to repay; they take no care nor thought about that, but live upon what they borrow: for this either expresses their incapacity that they cannot pay; or the evil disposition of their mind, which rather seems to be the sense, that they will not pay;

but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth; which not only argues capacity and ability, but a kind, merciful, and tender spirit to persons in distress, and is expressive of a generous action.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again - This is probably intended here, not so much to describe the “character” as the “condition” of the wicked. The idea is, that he will be in such a condition of want that he will be under a necessity of borrowing, but will not have the means of repaying what he has borrowed, while the righteous will not only have enough for himself, but will have the means of showing mercy to others, and of “giving” to them what they need. The ability to lend to others is referred to as a part of the promise of God to his people, and as marking their condition as a prosperous one, in Deuteronomy 15:6 : “And thou shalt lend unto many nations, and shalt not borrow.” Compare Deuteronomy 28:12, Deuteronomy 28:44. It is true, however, as a characteristic of a wicked man, that he will often be “disposed” to borrow and not pay again; that he will be “reckless” about borrowing and careless about paying; and that it is a characteristic of a good or upright man that he will not borrow when he can avoid it, and that he will be punctual and conscientious in paying what he has borrowed.

But the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth - That is, in this connection, he is not under the necessity of borrowing of others for the supply of his wants. He has not only enough for himself, but he has the means of aiding others, and has the disposition to do it. It is his “character” to show favors, and he has the means of gratifying this desire.

And giveth - Imparts to others. He has enough for himself, and has also that which he can give to others. Of course all this is designed to be general. It does not mean that this will universaly be the case, but that the tendency of a life of piety is to make a man prosperous in his worldly affairs; to give him what he needs for himself, and to furnish him with the means, as he has the disposition, to do good to others. Other things being equal, the honest, temperate, pure, pious man will be the most prosperous in the world: for honesty, temperance, purity, and piety produce the industry, economy, and prudence on which prosperity depends.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 37:21. The wicked borroweth — Is often reduced to penury, and is obliged to become debtor to those whom he before despised.

And payeth not again — May refuse to do it, because he is a wicked man; or be unable to do it, because he is reduced to beggary.

But the righteous showeth mercy — Because he has received mercy from God, therefore he shows mercy to men. And even to his enemies he showeth mercy, and giveth; his heart being disposed to it by the influence of Divine grace, and his hand being enabled to do it by the blessing of God's providence.