Proverbs 12:3

No one ¹  can be established ²  through wickedness, but a righteous root ³  cannot be moved.

A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

A man will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be moved.

Wickedness never brings stability; only the godly have deep roots.

You can't find firm footing in a swamp, but life rooted in God stands firm.

No man will make himself safe through evil-doing; but the root of upright men will never be moved.

No one finds security by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved.

A man is not established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.

No one ¹  can be established ²  through wickedness, but a righteous root ³  cannot be moved.

¹ tn Heb “a man cannot be.”

² tn The Niphal imperfect of כּוּן (cun, “to be established”) refers to finding permanent “security” (so NRSV, TEV, CEV) before God. Only righteousness can do that.

³ tn Heb “a root of righteousness.” The genitive צַדִּיקִים (tsadiqim, “righteousness”) functions as an attributive adjective. The figure “root” (שֹׁרֶשׁ, shoresh) stresses the security of the righteous; they are firmly planted and cannot be uprooted (cf. NLT “the godly have deep roots”). The righteous are often compared to a tree (e.g., 11:30; Ps 1:3; 92:13).