Proverbs 21:8
WEB
The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
BSB
The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
KJV
The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H2019
a — very perverse
Derivation: by reduplication from 2015;
very perverse
KJV: froward.
H1870
n-m — road, trodden, course, mode
Derivation: from 1869;
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
KJV: along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).
n.m — way
דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner
1. way, road, path
2. journey
3. of direction, almost or quite = toward
4. way, manner
5. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings
6.
a. of moral action and character
b. of duty
c. specif.: in good sense
d. oftener in bad sense
e. way of י׳
H376
n-m — man
Derivation: contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant);
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), none, one, people, person, steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare 802.
n.m — man
אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)
H2054
n-m — crime
Derivation: presumed to be from an unused root meaning to bear guilt;
crime
KJV: × strange.
H2134
a — clear
Derivation: from 2141;
clear
KJV: clean, pure.
adj — pure
זַךְ adj. pure, clean
1. lit., pure, i.e. unmixed, free from foreign substances
2. fig., pure, clean, righteous
H3477
a — straight
Derivation: from 3474;
straight (literally or figuratively)
KJV: convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet(-est), pleased well right(-eous), straight, (most) upright(-ly, -ness).
adj — straight
יָשָׁר adj. straight, right
1. straight, level
2. right, pleasing
3. straightforward, just, upright
4. abstr., uprightness
H6467
n-m — act, work
Derivation: from 6466;
an act or work (concretely)
KJV: act, deed, do, getting, maker, work.
n.m — doing
פֹּ֫עַל 37 n.m. doing, deed, work (poet. and late)
1. deed, thing done
2. work, thing made
3. wages of work
4. acquisition of treasures
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Verse 8
Proverbs 21:8
This shows that as men are so is their way. 1. Evil men have evil ways. If the man be froward, his way also is strange; and this is the way of most men, such is the general corruption of mankind. They have all gone aside (Psa 14:2, Psa 14:3); all flesh have perverted their way. But the froward man, the man of deceit, that acts by craft and trick in all he does, his way is strange, contrary to all the rules of honour and honesty. It is strange, for you know not where to find him nor when you have him; it is strange, for it is alienated from all good and estranges men from God and his favour. It is what he behold afar off, and so do all honest men. 2. Men that are pure are proved to be such by their work, for it is right, it is just and regular; and they are accepted of God and approved of men. The way of mankind in their apostasy is froward and strange; but as for the pure, those that by the grace of God are recovered out of that state, of which there is here and there one, their work is right, as Noah's was in the old world, Gen 7:1.
Cross-references: Ps 14:2 · Ps 14:3 · Gen 7:1