Proverbs 5:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah; And he maketh level all his paths.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֤י נֹ֨כַח ׀ עֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְֽכָל־מַעְגְּלֹתָ֥יו מְפַלֵּֽס

Transliteration

For in-front-of ʿênê YHWH darkê-ʾîš and-all-his-maʿgĕlôt mĕpallēs

Grammar Details

*nōkaḥ*: preposition - in front of/opposite
*ʿênê*: noun, feminine dual construct - eyes of
*YHWH*: noun, proper name - LORD/Yahweh
*darkê*: noun, masculine plural construct - ways of
*ʾîš*: noun, masculine singular - man
*maʿgĕlôt*: noun, feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his paths/tracks
*mĕpallēs*: verb, piel participle masculine singular - weighing/leveling/examining

Word Meanings

*nōkaḥ*: in front of/opposite/before
*ʿênê*: eyes/sight
*darkê*: ways/paths/roads/journeys
*ʾîš*: man/husband/person/each
*maʿgĕlôt*: paths/tracks/ways/habits
*mĕpallēs*: weighing/examining/evaluating/considering/measuring

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

ESVNIVCSBNLTNASBNET

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Heb 4:13 : 13 And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Job 31:4 : 4 Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps?
Job 34:21 : 21 For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, And he seeth all his goings.
Prov 15:3 : 3 The eyes of Jehovah are in every place, Keeping watch upon the evil and the good.
Jer 16:17 : 17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity concealed from mine eyes.
Ps 11:4 : 4 Jehovah is in his holy temple; Jehovah, his throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
Jer 32:19 : 19 great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
Hos 7:2 : 2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now have their own doings beset them about; they are before my face.
2 Chr 16:9 : 9 For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
Job 14:16 : 16 But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?
Ps 17:3 : 3 Thou hast proved my heart; Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and findest nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
Ps 119:168 : 168 I have observed thy precepts and thy testimonies; For all my ways are before thee.
Ps 139:1-9 : 1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O Jehovah, thou hast searched me, and known [me]. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, And laid thy hand upon me. 6 [ Such] knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me, And the light about me shall be night; 12 Even the darkness hideth not from thee, But the night shineth as the day: The darkness and the light are both alike [to thee].
Jer 17:10 : 10 I, Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
Rev 2:23 : 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works.
Jer 23:24 : 24 Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? saith Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith Jehovah.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Job 34:21
86%
21For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, And he seeth all his goings.
Prov 20:24
81%
24A man's goings are of Jehovah; How then can man understand his way?
Prov 21:1-2
2 verses
80%
1The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses: {H4325} He turneth it whithersoever he will.
2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
Prov 16:2
76%
2All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the spirits.
Prov 15:3
76%
3The eyes of Jehovah are in every place, Keeping watch upon the evil and the good.
Prov 16:9
76%
9A man's heart deviseth his way; But Jehovah directeth his steps.
Prov 21:8
75%
8The way of him that is laden with guilt is exceeding crooked; But as for the pure, his work is right.
Prov 5:6
75%
6So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, [and] she knoweth [it] not.
Prov 4:25-26
2 verses
75%
25Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
Job 31:4
74%
4Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps?
Ps 37:23
74%
23A man's goings are established of Jehovah; And he delighteth in his way.
Prov 2:20
74%
20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous.
Prov 5:20
74%
20For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?
Prov 10:9
73%
9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely; But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
Prov 3:6
73%
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.
Job 22:15
73%
15Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden?
Prov 14:12
73%
12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death.
Eccl 11:9
73%
9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Prov 19:21
73%
21There are many devices in a man's heart; But the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand.
Jer 16:17
73%
17For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity concealed from mine eyes.
Prov 19:3
73%
3The foolishness of man subverteth his way; And his heart fretteth against Jehovah.
Jer 10:23
72%
23O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Prov 5:22
72%
22His own iniquities shall take the wicked, And he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.
Prov 7:25
72%
25Let not thy heart decline to her ways; Go not astray in her paths.
Prov 22:12
72%
12The eyes of Jehovah preserve [him that hath] knowledge; But he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.
Prov 7:8
72%
8Passing through the street near her corner; And he went the way to her house,
Ps 17:5
71%
5My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped.
Prov 16:25
71%
25There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.
Jer 32:19
71%
19great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
Prov 22:5
71%
5Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.
Prov 14:15
71%
15The simple believeth every word; But the prudent man looketh well to his going.
Jer 17:10
71%
10I, Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
Job 36:25
71%
25All men have looked thereon; Man beholdeth it afar off.
Prov 21:29
71%
29A wicked man hardeneth his face; But as for the upright, he establisheth his ways.
Prov 1:15
71%
15My son, walk not thou in the way with them; Refrain thy foot from their path:
Prov 20:11
71%
11Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Prov 21:12
71%
12The righteous man considereth the house of the wicked, [How] the wicked are overthrown to [their] ruin.
Job 34:11
71%
11For the work of a man will he render unto him, And cause every man to find according to his ways.
Prov 24:12
71%
12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this; Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
Hos 14:9
71%
9Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein.
Prov 30:19
70%
19The way of an eagle in the air; The way of a serpent upon a rock; The way of a ship in the midst of the sea; And the way of a man with a maiden.
Prov 15:11
70%
11Sheol and Abaddon are before Jehovah: How much more then the hearts of the children of men!
Job 24:23
70%
23[ God] giveth them to be in security, and they rest thereon; And his eyes are upon their ways.
Prov 15:21
70%
21Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding maketh straight his going.
Prov 23:19
70%
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thy heart in the way.
Prov 7:22
70%
22He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as [one in] fetters to the correction of the fool;
Prov 2:15
70%
15Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths: