King James Version

Proverbs 20:21

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

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Hebrew

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נַ֭חֲלָהnachalahheritageנַחֲלָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “heritage”, the ordinary formH5159properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portionheritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession. Compare H5158 (נַחַל).מבחלתmvchltabhorבָּחַלverb, pual, passive participle, absolute — “abhor”, a verb used as a describing wordH973to loathabhor, get hastily (from the margin for H926 (בָּהַל)).מְבֹהֶ֣לֶתmevoheletbe affrightedבָּהַלverb, pual, passive participle, absolute — “be affrighted”, a verb used as a describing wordH926to tremble inwardly (or palpitate), i.e. (figuratively) be (causative, make) (suddenly) alarmed or agitated; by implication to hasten anxiouslybe (make) affrighted (afraid, amazed, dismayed, rash), (be, get, make) haste(-n, -y, -ily), (give) speedy(-ily), thrust out, trouble, vex.בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑הbarishonahin firstרִאשׁוֹןpreposition, with the article, adjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “in first”, the ordinary formH7223first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun)ancestor, (that were) before(-time), beginning, eldest, first, fore(-father) (-most), former (thing), of old time, past.וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּveacharitahand endאַחֲרִיתconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and end”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH319the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity(last, latter) end (time), hinder (utter) -most, length, posterity, remnant, residue, reward.לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תְבֹרָֽךְtevorakheblessבָרַךְverb, pual, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “bless”, an unfinished actionH1288to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason)[idiom] abundantly, [idiom] altogether, [idiom] at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, [idiom] greatly, [idiom] indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, [idiom] still, thank.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

An estate may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed.

Young’s Literal Translation

An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.

World English Bible

An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.

Darby Translation

An inheritance obtained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed in the end.

Douay-Rheims

The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)