Proverbs 4:12

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

בְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָ לֹא־יֵצַ֣ר צַעֲדֶ֑ךָ וְאִם־תָּ֝ר֗וּץ לֹ֣א תִכָּשֵֽׁל׃

Transliteration

bəlektəkā lōʾ-yēṣar ṣaʿădekā wəʾim-tārûṣ lōʾ tikkāšēl

Grammar Details

*bəlektəkā*: preposition + infinitive construct, qal + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - when you walk
*lōʾ-yēṣar*: negative particle + imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular, qal - not will be narrow/restricted
*ṣaʿădekā*: masculine singular noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your step
*wəʾim-tārûṣ*: conjunction + conjunction + imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular, qal - and if you run
*lōʾ*: negative particle - not
*tikkāšēl*: imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular, niphal - you will stumble

Word Meanings

*yēṣar*: be narrow/restricted/confined
*ṣaʿădekā*: your step/stride/place of stepping
*tārûṣ*: run/rush
*tikkāšēl*: stumble/stagger/be brought down

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

🔄 Compare with

ESVNIVCSBNLTNASBNET

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 3:23 : 23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, And thy foot shall not stumble.
Ps 18:36 : 36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.
2 Sam 22:37 : 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; And my feet have not slipped.
Job 18:7-8 : 7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, And his own counsel shall cast him down. 8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, And he walketh upon the toils.
Ps 91:11-12 : 11 For he will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Ps 119:165 : 165 Great peace have they that love thy law; And they have no occasion of stumbling.
Prov 4:19 : 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.
Prov 6:22 : 22 When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; When thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee; And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
Jer 31:9 : 9 They shall come with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.
John 11:9-9 : 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.
Rom 9:32-33 : 32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by works. {G3551} {G1063} They stumbled at the stone of stumbling; 33 even as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.
1 Pet 2:8 : 8 and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1 John 2:10-11 : 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

Prov 3:23-26
4 verses
85%
23Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, And thy foot shall not stumble.
24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25Be not afraid of sudden fear, Neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh:
26For Jehovah will be thy confidence, And will keep thy foot from being taken.
Prov 4:11
80%
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Prov 4:25-27
3 verses
79%
25Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
Prov 4:13-15
3 verses
78%
13Take fast hold of instruction; Let her not go: Keep her; For she is thy life.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.
Ps 18:36
78%
36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.
2 Sam 22:37
77%
37Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; And my feet have not slipped.
Prov 6:22
77%
22When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; When thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee; And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
Ps 17:5
77%
5My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped.
Prov 2:20
76%
20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous.
Heb 12:13
75%
13and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
Prov 5:6
75%
6So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, [and] she knoweth [it] not.
Isa 30:21
74%
21and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Job 4:4
74%
4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, And thou hast made firm the feeble knees.
Prov 1:15
73%
15My son, walk not thou in the way with them; Refrain thy foot from their path:
Job 23:11
73%
11My foot hath held fast to his steps; His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
Ps 91:11-12
2 verses
73%
11For he will give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways.
12They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Prov 4:19
73%
19The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.
Luke 4:11
73%
11and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Job 11:15
72%
15Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
Prov 3:6
72%
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.
Prov 2:11
72%
11Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee:
Prov 12:28
72%
28In the way of righteousness is life; And in the pathway thereof there is no death.
Prov 7:25
72%
25Let not thy heart decline to her ways; Go not astray in her paths.
Jer 12:5
71%
5If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of the Jordan?
Ps 37:31
71%
31The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
Prov 2:9
71%
9Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, [yea], every good path.
Prov 10:9
71%
9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely; But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
Prov 22:6
71%
6Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Ps 37:23-24
2 verses
71%
23A man's goings are established of Jehovah; And he delighteth in his way.
24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For Jehovah upholdeth him with his hand.
Ps 121:3
70%
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Ps 32:8
70%
8I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee.
Ps 119:105
70%
105NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path.
Joel 2:8
70%
8Neither doth one thrust another; they march every one in his path; and they burst through the weapons, and break not off [their course].
Job 18:7
70%
7The steps of his strength shall be straitened, And his own counsel shall cast him down.
Ps 85:13
70%
13Righteousness shall go before him, And shall make his footsteps a way [to walk in].
Prov 4:6
70%
6Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
Ps 77:19
70%
19Thy way was in the sea, And thy paths in the great waters, And thy footsteps were not known.
Isa 43:2
70%
2When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Ps 119:133
69%
133Establish my footsteps in thy word; And let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
Job 13:27
69%
27Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, And markest all my paths; Thou settest a bound to the soles of my feet:
Isa 54:14
69%
14In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee.