A kind person ¹  benefits ²  himself, ³  but a cruel person brings himself trouble. ⁴ 

biblegateway Pro 11:17

The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm.

A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings disaster on himself.

A merciful person helps himself, but a cruel person hurts himself.

biblegateway Pro 11:17

A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

bibleoremus Pro 11:17

Those who are kind reward themselves, but the cruel do themselves harm.

Kindness brings its own reward; cruelty earns trouble for itself.

biblegateway Pro 11:17

The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own flesh.

biblegateway Pro 11:17

A kind person ¹  benefits ²  himself, ³  but a cruel person brings himself trouble. ⁴ 

¹ tn Heb “man of kindness.”

¹ sn This contrasts the “kind person” and the “cruel person” (one who is fierce, cruel), showing the consequences of their dispositions.

² tn The term גֹּמֶל (gomel) means “to deal fully [or “adequately”] with” someone or something. The kind person will benefit himself.

³ tn Heb “his own soul.” The term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul”) is used as a synecdoche of part (= soul) for the whole (= person): “himself” (BDB 660 s.v. 4).

⁴ tn Heb “brings trouble to his flesh.”

⁴ sn There may be a conscious effort by the sage to contrast “soul” and “body”: He contrasts the benefits of kindness for the “soul” (translated “himself”) with the trouble that comes to the “flesh/body” (translated “himself”) of the cruel.