Proverbs 3:31 Meaning: Why Not Envy the Violent?
Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Envy thou not the man of violence, And choose none of his ways.
Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
Meaning in one sentence
Proverbs 3:31 warns against envying those who use violence to get ahead. Learn why their success is not what it seems and what path to choose instead.
Context
This verse sits near the end of a passage about how we treat our neighbors. Verses 27 through 30 have been giving practical commands: don't withhold help, don't put off kindness, don't plot harm, don't pick pointless fights. Then verse 31 shifts the focus inward. It addresses something quieter than an action or a word, the feeling of envy. The writer knows that the person who uses violence to get ahead can look successful. They have money, power, and nobody dares cross them. The temptation is to admire them, or at least wish you had what they have. But the verse cuts that thought off before it takes root.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb for "envy" here is qana. It's the same word used for jealousy in a marriage, a hot, restless feeling that wants what someone else has. It is not a passing thought. It is a fixation, a gnawing comparison that can slowly reshape what you want out of life.
The word for "violence" is chamas. It means more than a punch or a robbery. It carries the sense of injustice, cruelty, and the abuse of power to take what is not yours. The man described is not just rough; he is someone who gets ahead by crushing others.
Then comes the odd phrase "choose none of his ways." The verb bachar means to select, to pick with intention. This is not about avoiding a single bad habit. It is about refusing to adopt his whole pattern of living, the shortcuts, the hardness, the belief that the strong take what they want.
How Christians Read This Verse
Matthew Henry saw this as a practical warning: the oppressor may prosper, but his end is ruin, and imitating him means losing your soul. The Cambridge Bible connects it to Psalm 73, where the psalmist nearly slipped because he envied the arrogant, until he saw their final fate.
Gill emphasizes that the "man of violence" gets wealth by injustice, and to wish for his place is to misunderstand true happiness. Barnes points out that the verse is a protest against worshiping success, a tendency as old as human society.
All these voices agree that envy is dangerous because it leads to imitation. They differ only in whether they stress the inner struggle (the envy itself) or the outward conduct (the violent ways). Both are valid warnings from the same text.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
Think of one person you know, maybe at work or in your extended family, who seems to get away with dishonest shortcuts. Maybe they take credit for others' work, or they bend rules, and it pays off. You can feel that pull: if that's how the game works, maybe you should play it too.
This verse asks you to stop at that feeling. Not to shame yourself for having it, but to notice it and then let it go. You are not to envy that person's outcome, and you are not to pick up even one of their methods. You are free to live differently, even if it costs you something. Your reward is not what they have, but something deeper, the friendship of God, which the next verse calls "his secret."
Main takeaway: The success of the violent is a mirage; we are called to refuse both the envy and the way that produces it.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people hurt others to get what they want. You might think that looks fun, but God says don't copy them. Choose kindness instead.
For ages 9, 12
It can feel unfair when someone lies or bullies their way to the front of the line, and nobody stops them. Your brain might whisper, "Maybe I should try that." But this verse says no. Not just to the bad behavior, but even to the envy: don't wish you could be like them. God sees the whole story, not just the part where they win.
Questions People Ask
What does 'man of violence' mean in Proverbs 3:31?
The Hebrew word 'chamas' means violence, injustice, or cruelty. It refers to anyone who uses power, whether physical, financial, or social, to take advantage of others. It includes the bully, the corrupt boss, the person who lies to get ahead.
Is it wrong to envy a violent person's success?
The verse says yes, it is wrong to envy them. The problem is not simply the feeling, it is that envy makes their path look desirable. Once you envy what they have, you are more likely to adopt their methods. The command protects you from sliding into their way of life.
How is this verse connected to Psalm 37 and Psalm 73?
Psalm 37 and 73 both deal with the same struggle: seeing wicked people prosper and feeling bitter about it. In Psalm 73, the writer almost lost his faith until he saw the final destiny of the arrogant. Proverbs 3:31 is the short version of that same lesson, don't envy them, because their end is not like yours.
Does 'choose none of his ways' mean I can't learn anything from someone who is violent?
The phrase is about adopting their lifestyle or moral approach. They may have skills you can learn from, but their core pattern, using force, deception, or injustice to get ahead, is not something to imitate. The verse warns against picking up even one of those habits as a tool for your own life.
What does the context of Proverbs 3 teach about this verse?
The surrounding verses (27-30) are about how to treat neighbors with generosity, honesty, and peace. Verse 31 follows logically: if you are supposed to help your neighbor and not harm them, then you should also not admire someone who builds his life on harming others. The whole passage calls for a consistent character, inside and out.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study