Proverbs 16:2
1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
3 Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.
4 The LORD has made everything for His purpose— even the wicked for the day of disaster.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
- KJV
- All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
- WEB
- All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives.
- ASV
- All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the spirits.
- DARBY
- All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the spirits.
- BLB
- All the ways of a man [are] pure in his own eyes, and YHWH weighs out the spirit.
- ÅB
- Alle en manns veier er rene i hans egne øyne, men Herren veier åndene.
- OTB
- Alle en persons veier er rene i deres egne øyne, men Herren veier motivene.
- B1930
- Alle en manns veier er rene i hans egne øine, men Herren veier åndene.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 21:2
All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Read in context1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
Read in contextLuke 16:15
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
Read in contextProverbs 30:12
There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
Read in contextJeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
Read in contextProverbs 24:12
If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
Read in contextProverbs 5:21
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths.
Read in contextPsalms 36:2
For his eyes are too full of conceit to detect or hate his own sin.
Read in context