Psalm 37:36
New International Version
but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.

New Living Translation
But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!

English Standard Version
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.

Berean Standard Bible
yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.

King James Bible
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

New King James Version
Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

New American Standard Bible
Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I searched for him, but he could not be found.

NASB 1995
Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.

NASB 1977
Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.

Amplified Bible
Yet he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought him, but he could not be found.

Christian Standard Bible
Then I passed by and noticed he was gone; I searched for him, but he could not be found.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then I passed by and noticed he was gone; I searched for him, but he could not be found.

American Standard Version
But one passed by, and, lo, he was not: Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Contemporary English Version
Suddenly they disappeared! I looked, but they were gone and no longer there.

English Revised Version
But one passed by, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But he moved on, and now there is no trace of him. I searched for him, but he could not be found.

Good News Translation
but later I passed by, and he wasn't there; I looked for him, but couldn't find him.

International Standard Version
But then he passed away; in fact, he simply was not there. When I looked for him, he could not be found.

Majority Standard Bible
yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.

NET Bible
But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared! I looked for them, but they could not be found.

New Heart English Bible
And I passed by , and look, he was not. And I looked for him, but he could not be found.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not: yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

World English Bible
But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he passes away, and behold, he is not, "" And I seek him, and he is not found!

Young's Literal Translation
And he passeth away, and lo, he is not, And I seek him, and he is not found!

Smith's Literal Translation
And he shall pass away, and behold, he is not: and I shall seek him and he was not found.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I passed by, and lo, he was not : and I sought him and his place was not found.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I passed by, and behold, he was not. And I sought him, and his place was not found.

New American Bible
When I passed by again, he was gone; though I searched, he could not be found.

New Revised Standard Version
Again I passed by, and they were no more; though I sought them, they could not be found.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Yet when I passed by, lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
When I passed by, he was not, and I looked for him, and I did not find him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But one passed by, and, lo, he was not; Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Yet I passed by, and lo! he was not: and I sought him, but his place was not found.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Do Not Envy Those who Do Wrong
35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, 36yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found. 37Consider the blameless and observe the upright, for posterity awaits the man of peace.…

Cross References
Job 20:5-9
the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary? / Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds, / he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, ‘Where is he?’ ...

Proverbs 10:25
When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever.

James 1:10-11
But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. / For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Matthew 7:26-27
But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. / The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its collapse!”

Job 8:18-19
If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’ / Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.

Isaiah 40:24
No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble.

Matthew 13:6
But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

1 Peter 1:24
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

Isaiah 41:11-12
Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish. / You will seek them but will not find them. Those who wage war against you will come to nothing.

Luke 12:20
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

Job 27:19-20
He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone. / Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night.

Proverbs 12:7
The wicked are overthrown and perish, but the house of the righteous will stand.

1 John 2:17
The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Isaiah 17:13-14
The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale. / In the evening, there is sudden terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us and the lot of those who plunder us.

Matthew 6:30
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?


Treasury of Scripture

Yet he passed away, and, see, he was not: yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Psalm 37:10
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

Exodus 15:9,10,19
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them…

Job 20:5
That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

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Psalm 37
1. David persuades to patience and confidence in God,
12. by the different estate of the godly and the wicked














Yet he passed away, and was no more
This phrase captures the transient nature of the wicked, emphasizing the ultimate futility of their endeavors. The Hebrew root for "passed away" is "עָבַר" (avar), which conveys the idea of moving or passing by, often used to describe something that is temporary or fleeting. In the context of Psalm 37, this word underscores the ephemeral existence of those who do not follow God's ways. Historically, this reflects the biblical theme that the prosperity of the wicked is short-lived, as seen in the lives of figures like Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar, whose power was ultimately temporary.

though I searched, he could not be found
The phrase "though I searched" suggests a diligent effort to find something that has vanished. The Hebrew word "בִּקֵּשׁ" (biqqesh) implies an earnest seeking or inquiry. This reflects the psalmist's observation that despite the apparent success of the wicked, their legacy is ultimately erased. The phrase "he could not be found" highlights the complete disappearance of the wicked from the earth, reinforcing the idea that their impact is not lasting. This aligns with the biblical principle that only what is done for God endures, as echoed in the teachings of Jesus about storing treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).

(36) Yet he passed away.--This should be, And there went one by, &c. LXX. and Vulg. have, "And I passed by." (Comp. Prayer Book version.)

Verse 36. - Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not (cf. Job 20:5; Psalm 73:19, 20). Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. The sudden disappearance of an imposing personality astonishes and confuses us. We cannot believe that one who has played so prominent a part in our drama of life is gone altogether. We look about for him; we expect him to reappear at any moment. We cannot realize the fact that he is vanished for ever. We ask ourselves, "Where is he?' (Job 20:7).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
yet he passed away
וַ֭יַּֽעֲבֹר (way·ya·‘ă·ḇōr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

and was no more;
אֵינֶ֑נּוּ (’ê·nen·nū)
Adverb | third person masculine singular
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

though I searched,
וָֽ֝אֲבַקְשֵׁ֗הוּ (wā·’ă·ḇaq·šê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

he could not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

be found.
נִמְצָֽא׃ (nim·ṣā)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present


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OT Poetry: Psalm 37:36 But he passed away and behold he (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 37:35
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