13:21

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

21a
Disaster pursues sinners,

21b but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

13:21a

Disaster pursues sinners: The word Disaster can mean either “evil” or “harm” (see the note on 11:27b). Here it means “harm,” “trouble,” or “misfortune.”

This line is an incomplete metaphor. The metaphor compares disaster to a hunter who chases his prey or his enemy in order to destroy it/him. In the same way, disaster also keeps chasing the sinner. In other words, harm or misfortune will keep happening to the sinner.

13:21b

but prosperity is the reward of the righteous: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as prosperity is a very general word that means “good.” In this context, it probably refers to “good fortune” or “financial success.” Some other ways to translate this clause are:

but the righteous are rewarded with good (English Standard Version)
-or-
while blessings reward the righteous (New Living Translation (2004))

13:21a–b

Disaster pursues…prosperity is the reward of: In Hebrew, the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as is the reward of is actually the verb “rewards.” Versions such as the CSB, NET Bible, and New Revised Standard Version translate it that way.

This word forms a parallel with the verb pursues. These parallel phrases are both examples of personification. Disaster and prosperity are described as if they were people who pursued or rewarded others. In some languages, it may not be natural to use personification in this way. Some other ways to translate it are:

21a You are in for trouble if you sin (Contemporary English Version)

21b but righteous people will be rewarded with good things (Good News Translation)

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