Psalms 37:16-22
Psalms 37:16-22 The Message (MSG)
Less is more and more is less. One righteous will outclass fifty wicked, For the wicked are moral weaklings but the righteous are GOD-strong. GOD keeps track of the decent folk; what they do won’t soon be forgotten. In hard times, they’ll hold their heads high; when the shelves are bare, they’ll be full. God-despisers have had it; GOD’s enemies are finished— Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time, vanished like smoke in thin air. Wicked borrows and never returns; Righteous gives and gives. Generous gets it all in the end; Stingy is cut off at the pass.
Psalms 37:16-22 King James Version (KJV)
A little that a righteous man hath is better Than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: But the LORD upholdeth the righteous. The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: And their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish, And the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: They shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: But the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; And they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
Psalms 37:16-22 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD sustains the righteous. The LORD knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will be forever. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will have abundance. But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish—like smoke they vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives. For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off.
Psalms 37:16-22 New Century Version (NCV)
It is better to have little and be right than to have much and be wrong. The power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD supports those who do right. The LORD watches over the lives of the innocent, and their reward will last forever. They will not be ashamed when trouble comes. They will be full in times of hunger. But the wicked will die. The LORD’s enemies will be like the flowers of the fields; they will disappear like smoke. The wicked borrow and don’t pay back, but those who do right give freely to others. Those whom the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be sent away.
Psalms 37:16-22 American Standard Version (ASV)
Better is a little that the righteous hath Than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; But Jehovah upholdeth the righteous. Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect; And their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be put to shame in the time of evil; And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish, And the enemies of Jehovah shall be as the fat of lambs: They shall consume; in smoke shall they consume away. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; But the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth. For such as are blessed of him shall inherit the land; And they that are cursed of him shall be cut off.
Psalms 37:16-22 New International Version (NIV)
Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.
Psalms 37:16-22 New King James Version (NKJV)
A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the LORD upholds the righteous. The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the LORD, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.
Psalms 37:16-22 Amplified Bible (AMP)
¶Better is the little of the righteous [who seek the will of God] Than the abundance (riches) of many wicked (godless). [1 Tim 6:6, 7] For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD upholds and sustains the righteous [who seek Him]. The LORD knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will continue forever. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will have plenty and be satisfied. But the wicked (ungodly) will perish, And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures and like the fat of lambs [that is consumed in smoke], They vanish—like smoke they vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives. For those blessed by God will [at last] inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off. [Is 57:13c]
Psalms 37:16-22 New Living Translation (NLT)
It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly. Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. But the wicked will die. The LORD’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke. The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. Those the LORD blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die.
Psalms 37:16-22 The Passion Translation (TPT)
It is much better to have little combined with much of God than to have the fabulous wealth of the wicked and nothing else. For the Lord takes care of all his forgiven ones while the strength of evil men will surely slip away. Day by day the Lord watches the good deeds of the godly, and he prepares for them his forever-reward. Even in a time of disaster he will watch over them, and they will always have more than enough no matter what happens. All the enemies of God will perish. For the wicked have only a momentary value, a fading glory. Then one day they vanish! Here today, gone tomorrow. They break their promises, borrowing money but never paying it back. The good man returns what he owes with some extra besides. YAHWEH’s blessed ones receive the land, but the cursed ones will be cut off with nothing to show for themselves.
Psalms 37:16-22 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.