The Meaning of Proverbs 16:2 Explained

Proverbs 16:2

KJV: All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

YLT: All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, And Jehovah is pondering the spirits.

Darby: All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the spirits.

ASV: All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the spirits.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

All the ways  of a man  [are] clean  in his own eyes;  but the LORD  weigheth  the spirits. 

What does Proverbs 16:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 16

1  The Plans of the heart

What do the individual words in Proverbs 16:2 mean?

all the ways of a man and [are] pure in his own eyes but weighs The spirits Yahweh
כָּֽל־ דַּרְכֵי־ אִ֭ישׁ זַ֣ךְ בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן רוּח֣וֹת יְהוָֽה

דַּרְכֵי־  the  ways 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אִ֭ישׁ  of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
זַ֣ךְ  and  [are]  pure 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: זַךְ  
Sense: clean, pure.
בְּעֵינָ֑יו  in  his  own  eyes 
Parse: Preposition, Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וְתֹכֵ֖ן  but  weighs 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: תָּכַן  
Sense: to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove.
רוּח֣וֹת  The  spirits 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.