The Meaning of Proverbs 21:2 Explained

Proverbs 21:2

KJV: Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

YLT: Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, And Jehovah is pondering hearts.

Darby: Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the hearts.

ASV: Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the hearts.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Every way  of a man  [is] right  in his own eyes:  but the LORD  pondereth  the hearts. 

What does Proverbs 21:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 21

1  The king's heart in the hand of the Lord

What do the individual words in Proverbs 21:2 mean?

Every way of a man and [is] right in his own eyes but weighs the hearts Yahweh
כָּֽל־ דֶּרֶךְ־ אִ֭ישׁ יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה

כָּֽל־  Every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
דֶּרֶךְ־  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אִ֭ישׁ  of  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יָשָׁ֣ר  and  [is]  right 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
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.
לִבּ֣וֹת  the  hearts 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: לִבָּה  
Sense: heart.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.