Psalms 37:16

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Better is a little that the righteous hath Than the abundance of many wicked.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

טוֹב־מְ֭עַט לַצַּדִּ֑יק מֵ֝הֲמ֗וֹן רְשָׁעִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃

Transliteration

Better is məʿaṭ for ṣaddîq than hămôn rəšāʿîm rabbîm.

Grammar Details

*ṭôb*: masculine singular adjective - better/good
*məʿaṭ*: masculine singular adjective/noun - little/small amount
*laṣṣaddîq*: preposition + definite article + masculine singular adjective/noun - for the righteous person
*mēhămôn*: preposition + masculine singular construct - than abundance of
*rəšāʿîm*: masculine plural adjective/noun - wicked ones
*rabbîm*: masculine plural adjective - many

Word Meanings

*ṭôb-məʿaṭ laṣṣaddîq*: better is a little for the righteous/the little of the righteous is better
*hămôn rəšāʿîm rabbîm*: abundance of many wicked ones/great wealth of the wicked

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

Prov 16:8 : 8 Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.
Prov 15:16-17 : 16 Better is little, with the fear of Jehovah, Than great treasure and trouble therewith. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
1 Tim 6:6 : 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain:
Prov 13:25 : 25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul; But the belly of the wicked shall want.
Prov 3:33 : 33 The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked; But he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
Prov 30:9 : 9 Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God.
Eccl 2:26 : 26 For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Eccl 4:6 : 6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
Matt 6:11 : 11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

Prov 16:8
87%
8Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.
Ps 37:17
82%
17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; But Jehovah upholdeth the righteous.
Prov 15:16
81%
16Better is little, with the fear of Jehovah, Than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Prov 28:6
77%
6Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, Than he that is perverse in [his] ways, though he be rich.
Prov 11:4-5
2 verses
76%
4Riches profit not in the day of wrath; But righteousness delivereth from death.
5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way; But the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
Prov 15:6
76%
6In the house of the righteous is much treasure; But in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
Prov 13:6-7
2 verses
75%
6Righteousness guardeth him that is upright in the way; But wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
7There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth.
Ps 37:21-22
2 verses
75%
21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; But the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.
22For such as are blessed of him shall inherit the land; And they that are cursed of him shall be cut off.
Prov 10:20
75%
20The tongue of the righteous is [as] choice silver: The heart of the wicked is little worth.
Prov 11:23
74%
23The desire of the righteous is only good; [But] the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
Prov 10:2-3
2 verses
74%
2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; But righteousness delivereth from death.
3Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; But he thrusteth away the desire of the wicked.
Prov 12:26
74%
26The righteous is a guide to his neighbor; But the way of the wicked causeth them to err.
Ps 37:14-15
2 verses
74%
14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.
Prov 13:22-23
2 verses
74%
22A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children; And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.
23Much food [is in] the tillage of the poor; But there is that is destroyed by reason of injustice.
Ps 125:3
74%
3For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; That the righteous put not forth their hands unto iniquity.
Prov 29:7
74%
7The righteous taketh knowledge of the cause of the poor; The wicked hath not understanding to know [it].
Ps 34:19
74%
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But Jehovah delivereth him out of them all.
Prov 11:28
74%
28He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; But the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.
Prov 14:19
73%
19The evil bow down before the good; And the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.
Prov 10:15-16
2 verses
73%
15The rich man's wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16The labor of the righteous [tendeth] to life; The increase of the wicked, to sin.
Prov 14:32
73%
32The wicked is thrust down in his evil-doing; But the righteous hath a refuge in his death.
Ps 37:39
73%
39But the salvation of the righteous is of Jehovah; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
Ps 37:32
73%
32The wicked watcheth the righteous, And seeketh to slay him.
Prov 21:26
73%
26There is that coveteth greedily all the day long; But the righteous giveth and withholdeth not.
Ps 37:29-30
2 verses
73%
29The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell therein for ever.
30The mouth of the righteous talketh of wisdom, And his tongue speaketh justice.
Prov 12:7
73%
7The wicked are overthrown, and are not; But the house of the righteous shall stand.
Prov 21:12
73%
12The righteous man considereth the house of the wicked, [How] the wicked are overthrown to [their] ruin.
Prov 11:31
73%
31Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: How much more the wicked and the sinner!
Prov 22:16
73%
16He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [gain], [And] he that giveth to the rich, [shall come] only to want.
Ps 112:3
73%
3Wealth and riches are in his house; And his righteousness endureth for ever.
Prov 21:7
73%
7The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away, Because they refuse to do justice.
Prov 19:1
73%
1Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
Eccl 7:15
72%
15All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
Prov 29:16
72%
16When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth; But the righteous shall look upon their fall.
Prov 13:25
72%
25The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul; But the belly of the wicked shall want.
Job 36:6
72%
6He preserveth not the life of the wicked, But giveth to the afflicted [their] right.
Prov 21:18
72%
18The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; And the treacherous [cometh] in the stead of the upright.
Luke 16:10
72%
10He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.
Prov 25:26
72%
26[ As] a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, [So is] a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
Prov 24:15
72%
15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:
Ps 37:10
72%
10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and he shall not be.
Prov 10:30
72%
30The righteous shall never be removed; But the wicked shall not dwell in the land.