24:20

The first line states what the evil person will not experience. The second line uses a figure of speech to explain what he will experience instead.

20a For the evil man has no future;

20b the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

In Hebrew, the first underlined phrase is singular. The second underlined phrase is plural. As in similar verses, you may use either singular or plural in either line.

24:20a

For the evil man has no future: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “for a future does not belong to the evil ⌊person⌋ .” It implies that evil people will not have a good end or outcome to their lives. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

An evil person has nothing to hope for (New Century Version)
-or-
Evil people will not have a good end to their lives.

See the note on 23:18a, where the positive equivalent (“surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off”) occurs.

24:20b

the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished: This clause is a metaphor. It compares the life of wicked people to a lamp that is “extinguished” or “put out.” It means that their temporary prosperity will soon be gone. They will experience hardship, ruin, and premature death.

This clause is identical to 13:9b. See the notes there for translation advice. You may need to translate this clause differently, because the preceding context is not the same.

General Comment on 24:20a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these lines. For example:

They will soon be gone like the flame of a lamp that burns out. (Contemporary English Version)

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