The Meaning of Proverbs 28:5 Explained

Proverbs 28:5

KJV: Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

YLT: Evil men understand not judgment, And those seeking Jehovah understand all.

Darby: Evil men understand not judgment; but they that seek Jehovah understand everything.

ASV: Evil men understand not justice; But they that seek Jehovah understand all things.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Evil  men  understand  not judgment:  but they that seek  the LORD  understand  all [things]. 

What does Proverbs 28:5 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 28

1  general observations of impiety and integrity

What do the individual words in Proverbs 28:5 mean?

Men Evil not do understand justice but those who seek Yahweh understand all
אַנְשֵׁי־ רָ֭ע לֹא־ יָבִ֣ינוּ מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י יְ֝הוָ֗ה יָבִ֥ינוּ כֹֽל

אַנְשֵׁי־  Men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
רָ֭ע  Evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
יָבִ֣ינוּ  do  understand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
מִשְׁפָּ֑ט  justice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י  but  those  who  seek 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
יָבִ֥ינוּ  understand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.