Mishle 20:20

20 He who curseth aviv or immo, his ner (lamp) shall be put out in deep choshech.

Mishle 20:20 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 20:20

Whoso curseth his father or his mother
This is dreadful indeed! a person must be got to a great pitch of wickedness to do this; to curse his parents, one or other of them, that have been the instruments of his being, and by whom he has been brought up and put out into the world; to slight them, despise them, and mock at them, is highly base and criminal, but to curse them is shocking! what can such expect but the curse of God upon them? his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness;
he shall be deprived of his natural sight; see ( Proverbs 30:17 ) ; or the very light of nature shall be extinct in him; and indeed such an one acts as if not guided by it, nor under its influence; or whatsoever favour from the Lord he has enjoyed, it shall be taken from him; his lamp or candle of outward felicity shall be quenched, and burn no longer; see ( Job 18:5 ) ( 22:17 ) ; or his soul, the candle of the Lord, in him, ( Proverbs 20:27 ) ; shall be removed; or he "shall die", not only a corporeal but an eternal death; see ( Exodus 21:17 ) ; "blackness of darkness" F8 as the words may be rendered, are reserved for him in the world to come, and which will be his portion, ( Jude 1:13 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F8 (Kvx Nwvyab) "in obscuritate tenebrarum", Pagninus, Mercerus; "in nigredine tenebrarum", Michaelis.

Mishle 20:20 In-Context

18 Every plan is established by etzah, and with tachbulot (guidance) wage milchamah.
19 He that goeth about as a rakhil (gossip, slanderer, talebearer) revealeth secrets; therefore associate not with the babbler.
20 He who curseth aviv or immo, his ner (lamp) shall be put out in deep choshech.
21 A nachalah (inheritance) may be gotten hastily at the rishonah (beginning); but the acharit (latter end) thereof shall not have a bracha.
22 Say not thou, I will pay back rah; but wait on Hashem, and He shall save thee.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.