Proverbs 20:20

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Whoso curseth his father or his mother, His lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מְ֭קַלֵּל אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ נֵ֝ר֗וֹ *באישון **בֶּאֱשׁ֥וּן חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

Transliteration

məqallēl ʾābîw and-ʾimmô yidʿak nērô in-*ʾeš̆ûn ḥōšek*

Grammar Details

*məqallēl*: verb, Piel participle masculine singular - cursing
*ʾābîw*: noun, masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his father
*ʾimmô*: noun, feminine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his mother
*yidʿak*: verb, Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - will be extinguished
*nērô*: noun, masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his lamp
**ʾeš̆ûn**: noun, masculine singular construct - pupil of/blackness of
*ḥōšek*: noun, masculine singular - darkness

Word Meanings

*məqallēl*: cursing/reviling/treating with contempt
*ʾābîw*: his father/ancestor
*ʾimmô*: his mother
*yidʿak*: will be extinguished/will go out
*nērô*: his lamp/light
**ʾeš̆ûn**: pupil of/blackness of/deep darkness of
*ḥōšek*: darkness/obscurity

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Exod 21:17 : 17 And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
Prov 30:11 : 11 There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother.
Lev 20:9 : 9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Matt 15:4 : 4 For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death.
Prov 30:17 : 17 The eye that mocketh at his father, And despiseth to obey his mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.
Prov 24:20 : 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
Exod 20:12 : 12 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
Deut 27:16 : 16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Job 18:5-6 : 5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, And the spark of his fire shall not shine. 6 The light shall be dark in his tent, And his lamp above him shall be put out.
Job 18:18 : 18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, And chased out of the world.
Prov 13:9 : 9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth; But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
Matt 22:13 : 13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
Matt 25:8 : 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out.
Mark 7:10-13 : 10 For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death: 11 but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given [to God]; 12 ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother; 13 making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.
Jude 1:13 : 13 Wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved for ever.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Exod 21:17
82%
17And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
Lev 20:9
82%
9For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
Deut 27:16
81%
16Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Prov 30:10-11
2 verses
80%
10Slander not a servant unto his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother.
Prov 20:21
78%
21An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed.
Prov 19:26-27
2 verses
77%
26He that doeth violence to his father, and chaseth away his mother, Is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach.
27Cease, my son, to hear instruction [Only] to err from the words of knowledge.
Exod 21:15
76%
15And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
Matt 15:4-5
2 verses
76%
4For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death.
5But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given [to God];
Prov 24:20
75%
20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
Job 18:5-6
2 verses
74%
5Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, And the spark of his fire shall not shine.
6The light shall be dark in his tent, And his lamp above him shall be put out.
Mark 7:10
74%
10For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death:
Prov 6:20
74%
20My son, keep the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
Prov 15:20
73%
20A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish man despiseth his mother.
Prov 28:24
73%
24Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression, The same is the companion of a destroyer.
Deut 21:18-19
2 verses
73%
18If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them;
19then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
Exod 20:12
73%
12Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
Prov 23:22
72%
22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old.
Prov 30:17
72%
17The eye that mocketh at his father, And despiseth to obey his mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.
Lev 24:15
72%
15And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
Ps 50:20
71%
20Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; Thou slanderest thine own mother's son.
Prov 19:18
71%
18Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; And set not thy heart on his destruction.
Job 18:18
71%
18He shall be driven from light into darkness, And chased out of the world.
Deut 27:20
70%
20Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife, because he hath uncovered his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Prov 13:9
70%
9The light of the righteous rejoiceth; But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
Deut 5:16
70%
16Honor thy father and thy mother, as Jehovah thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
Lev 20:14
70%
14And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
Prov 20:19
69%
19He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.
Prov 13:24
69%
24He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Prov 1:8
69%
8My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
Job 20:26
69%
26All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown [by man] shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
Jer 20:14-15
2 verses
69%
14Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.
15Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man-child is born unto thee; making him very glad.
Deut 28:20
69%
20Jehovah will send upon thee cursing, discomfiture, and rebuke, in all that thou puttest thy hand unto to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the evil of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
Prov 17:25
69%
25A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.
Lev 20:11
69%
11And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Deut 27:23
69%
23Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Prov 17:20-21
2 verses
69%
20He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy.
Ps 49:19
69%
19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light.
Job 21:17
69%
17How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That [God] distributeth sorrows in his anger?
Deut 28:18
69%
18Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, the increase of thy cattle, and the young of thy flock.
Prov 17:5-6
2 verses
69%
5Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; [And] he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
6Children's children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.
Prov 29:24
68%
24Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul; He heareth the adjuration and uttereth nothing.