Proverbs 4:16

For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; ¹  they are robbed of sleep ²  until they make someone stumble. ³ 

biblegateway Pro 4:16

For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.

biblegateway Pro 4:16

For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.

biblegateway Pro 4:16

for evil people cannot sleep until they have done their evil deed for the day. They cannot rest unless they have caused someone to stumble.

biblegateway Pro 4:16

Evil people are restless unless they're making trouble; They can't get a good night's sleep unless they've made life miserable for somebody.

SABDAweb Pro 4:16

For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone’s fall.

bibleoremus Pro 4:16

For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.

biblegateway Pro 4:16

For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.

biblegateway Pro 4:16

For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; ¹  they are robbed of sleep ²  until they make someone stumble. ³ 

¹ sn The verb is רָעַע (ra’a’), which means “to do evil; to harm.” The verse is using the figure of hyperbole to stress the preoccupation of some people with causing trouble. R. L. Alden says, “How sick to find peace only at the price of another man’s misfortune” (Proverbs, 47).

² sn Heb “their sleep is robbed/seized”; these expressions are metonymical for their restlessness in plotting evil.

³ sn The Hiphil imperfect (Kethib) means “cause to stumble.” This idiom (from hypocatastasis) means “bring injury/ruin to someone” (BDB 505-6 s.v. כָּשַׁל Hiph.1).