Proverbs 21:8
New International Version
The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

New Living Translation
The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road.

English Standard Version
The way of the guilty is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright.

Berean Standard Bible
The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

King James Bible
The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

New King James Version
The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right.

New American Standard Bible
The way of a guilty person is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

NASB 1995
The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

NASB 1977
The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

Legacy Standard Bible
The way of a guilty man is perverse, But as for the pure, his work is upright.

Amplified Bible
The way of the guilty is [exceedingly] crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

Christian Standard Bible
A guilty one’s conduct is crooked, but the behavior of the innocent is upright.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A guilty man’s conduct is crooked, but the behavior of the innocent is upright.

American Standard Version
The way of him that is laden with guilt is exceeding crooked; But as for the pure, his work is right.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He that perverts his way is a strange man, and the works of the pure one are right.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
To the froward God sends froward ways; for his works are pure and right.

Contemporary English Version
All crooks are liars, but anyone who is innocent will do right.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The perverse way of a man is strange: but as for him that is pure, his work is right.

English Revised Version
The way of him that is laden with guilt is exceeding crooked: but as for the pure, his work is right.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The way of a guilty person is crooked, but the behavior of those who are pure is moral.

Good News Translation
Guilty people walk a crooked path; the innocent do what is right.

International Standard Version
The conduct of a guilty man is perverse, but the behavior of the pure is upright.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The way of man is froward and strange; But as for the pure, his work is right.

Literal Standard Version
The way of a man who is vile [is] contrary, | And the pure—his work [is] upright.

Majority Standard Bible
The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

New American Bible
One’s path may be winding and unfamiliar, but one’s conduct is blameless and right.

NET Bible
The way of the guilty person is devious, but as for the pure, his way is upright.

New Revised Standard Version
The way of the guilty is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is right.

New Heart English Bible
The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

Webster's Bible Translation
The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

World English Bible
The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

Young's Literal Translation
Froward is the way of a man who is vile, And the pure -- upright is his work.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The King's Heart
7The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just. 8The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright. 9Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.…

Cross References
Proverbs 2:15
whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.

Proverbs 21:9
Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.


Treasury of Scripture

The way of man is fraudulent and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

way

Genesis 6:5,6,12
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…

Job 15:14-16
What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? …

Psalm 14:2,3
The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God…

but

Proverbs 15:26
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

Proverbs 30:12
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

Daniel 12:10
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

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Clean Conduct Crime Crooked Devious Exceeding Froward Full Guilt Guilty Heart Innocent Laden Pure Right Strange Twisted Upright Vile Way Work
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Clean Conduct Crime Crooked Devious Exceeding Froward Full Guilt Guilty Heart Innocent Laden Pure Right Strange Twisted Upright Vile Way Work
Proverbs 21
1. The king's heart in the hand of the Lord














(8) The way of man is froward and strange.--The words may also mean "Tortuous is the way of a man who is laden with sin." (Comp. Proverbs 2:15.)

Verse 8. - The way of man is froward and strange; Vulgate, Perversa via viri, aliens est. Both this and the Authorized Version miss the antithesis between the guilty and the pure man, which is intended. In וזר, translated "and strange" (which seems to mean "alien from what is right"), the vav is not the copulative, but part of the word, which is an adjective signifying "laden with guilt;" so that the clause ought to be rendered, "Crooked is the way of a guilty man" (see note on Proverbs 2:15, where, however, the word is different, though the idea is analogous). An evil man's way of life is not open and straightforward, simple and uniform, but stealthy, crooked, perverse, whither his evil inclinations lead him. Septuagint, "To the crooked (σκολιοὺς) God sendeth crooked ways;" which recalls Psalm 18:26, "With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward." God allows the wicked to punish themselves by falling into mischief. As for the pure, his work is right; or, straight (Proverbs 20:11). The pure in heart will be right in action; he follows his conscience and God's law, and goes direct on his course without turning or hesitation. The LXX. refers the clause to God: "for pure and right are his ways."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The way
דֶּ֣רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of a guilty
וָזָ֑ר (wā·zār)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2054: Criminal, guilty

man
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

is crooked,
הֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְ (hă·p̄aḵ·paḵ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2019: Very perverse

but the conduct
פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃ (pā·‘o·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6467: Doing, deed, work

of the innocent
וְ֝זַ֗ךְ (wə·zaḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2134: Pure, clean

is upright.
יָשָׁ֥ר (yā·šār)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3477: Straight, right


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 21:8 The way of the guilty is devious (Prov. Pro Pr)
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