Proverbs 21:2
1 The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the guides of the wicked—are sin.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
- KJV
- Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
- WEB
- Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.
- ASV
- Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
- DARBY
- Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
- BLB
- Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes, and YHWH is measuring hearts.
- ÅB
- Alle en manns veier er rette i hans egne øyne, men Herren veier hjertene.
- OTB
- En persons vei kan synes rett i egne øyne, men Herren vurderer hjertet.
- B1930
- Alle en manns veier er rette i hans egne øine, men Herren veier hjertene.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 16:2
All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
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 16:25
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
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 30:12
There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
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 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 contextJames 1:22
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
Read in context