Proverbs 11:21

Be assured that ¹  the evil person will certainly be punished, ²  but the descendants of the righteous ³  will not suffer unjust judgment. ⁴ 

Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered.

You can be sure that evil people will be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.

Count on this: The wicked won't get off scot-free, and God's loyal people will triumph.

Certainly the evil-doer will not go free from punishment, but the seed of the upright man will be safe.

Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will escape.

Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.

Be assured that ¹  the evil person will certainly be punished, ²  but the descendants of the righteous ³  will not suffer unjust judgment. ⁴ 

¹ tn The expression “hand to hand” refers the custom of striking hands to confirm an agreement (M. Anbar, “Proverbes 11:21; 16:15; יד ליד, «sur le champ»,” Bib 53 [1972]: 537-38). Tg. Prov 11:21 interprets it differently: “he who lifts up his hand against his neighbor will not go unpunished.”

² tn Heb “will not be free.” The verb נָקָה (naqah) means “to be clean; to be empty.” In the Niphal it means “to be free of guilt; to be clean; to be innocent,” and therefore “to be exempt from punishment” (BDB 667 s.v. Niph). The phrase “will not go unpunished” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) is an example of tapeinosis (a negative statement that emphasizes the positive opposite statement): “will certainly be punished” (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).

³ tn Heb “the seed of the righteous.” This is an idiom that describes a class of people who share the nature of righteousness (e.g., Isa 1:4; 65:23). The word “seed” (hypocatastasis) means “offspring.” Some take it literally, as if it meant that the children of the righteous will escape judgment (Saadia, a Jewish scholar who lived a.d. 882-942). The LXX translates it in a different sense: “he that sows righteousness will receive a faithful reward.”

⁴ tn Heb “will be delivered” (so NASB). The phrase “from unjust judgment” does not appear in the Hebrew but is implied by the idiom.