Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version A person’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way? New Living Translation The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way? English Standard Version A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way? Berean Standard Bible A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way? King James Bible Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? New King James Version A man’s steps are of the LORD; How then can a man understand his own way? New American Standard Bible A man’s steps are ordained by the LORD; How then can a person understand his way? NASB 1995 Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD, How then can man understand his way? NASB 1977 Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD, How then can man understand his way? Legacy Standard Bible The steps of a man are from Yahweh, How then can man understand his way? Amplified Bible Man’s steps are ordered and ordained by the LORD. How then can a man [fully] understand his way? Christian Standard Bible Even a courageous person’s steps are determined by the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way? Holman Christian Standard Bible A man’s steps are determined by the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way? American Standard Version A man's goings are of Jehovah; How then can man understand his way? Contemporary English Version How can we know what will happen to us when the LORD alone decides? English Revised Version A man's goings are of the LORD; how then can man understand his way? GOD'S WORD® Translation The LORD is the one who directs a person's steps. How then can anyone understand his own way? Good News Translation The LORD has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking? International Standard Version A man's steps are directed by the LORD; how then can anyone understand his own way? Majority Standard Bible A man?s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way? NET Bible The steps of a person are ordained by the LORD--so how can anyone understand his own way? New Heart English Bible A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way? Webster's Bible Translation Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? World English Bible A man’s steps are from Yahweh; how then can man understand his way? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionThe steps of a man [are] from YHWH, "" And man—how does he understand his way? Young's Literal Translation From Jehovah are the steps of a man, And man -- how understandeth he his way? Smith's Literal Translation From Jehovah man's steps; and how shall man understand his way? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe steps of man are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way? Catholic Public Domain Version The steps of men are directed by the Lord. But who is the man able to understand his own way? New American Bible Our steps are from the LORD; how, then, can mortals understand their way? New Revised Standard Version All our steps are ordered by the LORD; how then can we understand our own ways? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleA man's steps are directed by the LORD; who is the man, then, who can direct his own way? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The steps of a man are before LORD JEHOVAH, and who is the man that will order his way? OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917A man's goings are of the LORD; How then can man look to his way? Brenton Septuagint Translation A man's goings are directed of the Lord: how then can a mortal understand his ways? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Wine is a Mocker…23Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good. 24A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way? 25It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.… Cross References Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps. Psalm 37:23 The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. Isaiah 46:10 I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’ Romans 8:28 And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” / You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. / Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be. Ephesians 1:11 In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will, Job 23:13-14 But He is unchangeable, and who can oppose Him? He does what He desires. / For He carries out His decree against me, and He has many such plans. Acts 17:26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. Isaiah 14:24 The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand. Psalm 33:10-11 The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples. / The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations. Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end. Romans 11:33-36 O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! / “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?” / “Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?” ... 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” / But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. Treasury of Scripture Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? man's Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Jeremiah 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Daniel 5:23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: how Proverbs 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit. Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. Psalm 25:4,12 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths… Jump to Previous Directed Goings Ordained Ordered Steps Understand Understandeth WayJump to Next Directed Goings Ordained Ordered Steps Understand Understandeth WayProverbs 20 1. Proper LivingA man's steps This phrase emphasizes the journey of life that each individual undertakes. In the Hebrew text, the word for "steps" is "מִצְעֲדֵי" (mitz'adei), which can also mean "goings" or "movements." It suggests not just physical steps but the decisions and directions one takes in life. Historically, the concept of one's "steps" being guided or ordered is deeply rooted in the wisdom literature of the Bible, where life is seen as a path or journey that requires divine guidance. are from the LORD How then can man understand his own way? How can a man then understand his own way?--i.e., how he should go. So much the more reason for the prayer of Psalm 25:3, "Shew me thy ways, O Lord." (Comp. Psalm 119:33, ff, Psalm 143:8.) Verse 24. - Man's goings are of the Lord. In the first clause the word for "man" is geber, which implies "a mighty man;" in the second clause the word is adam, "a human creature." So the Septuagint has ἀνὴρ in one clause and θνητὸς in the other. The proverb says that the steps of a great and powerful man depend, as their final cause, upon the Lord; he conditions and controls results. Man has free will, and is responsible for his actions, but God foreknows them, and holds the thread that connects them together; he gives preventing grace; he gives efficient grace: and man blindly works out the designs of Omnipotence according as he obeys or resists. A similar maxim is found in Psalm 37:23, "A man's goings are established of the Lord," but the meaning there is that it is God's aid which enables a man to do certain actions. Here we have very much the same intimation that is found in Proverbs 2:6 and Proverbs 19:21; and see note on Proverbs 16:9. Hence arises the old prayer used formerly at prime, and inserted now (with some omissions) at the end of the Anglican Communion Service: "O almighty Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and bodies, our thoughts, words, and actions, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy most mighty protection we may be preserved both here and forever." If man cannot see all sides, as God does, cannot comprehend the beginning, middle, and end in one view, how then can a man (a weak mortal) understand his own ways. How can he find out of himself whither he should go, or what will be the issue of his doings (comp. Proverbs 16:25; Jeremiah 10:23)? St. Gregory, "It is well said by Solomon [Ecclesiastes 9:1], 'There are righteous and wise men, and their works are in the hand of God; and yet no man knoweth whether he is deserving of love or of hatred; but all things are kept uncertain for the time to come.' Hence it is said again by the same Solomon, 'What man will be able to understand his own way?' And any one doing good or evil is doubtless known by the testimony of his own conscience. But it is said that their own way is not known to men, for this reason, because, even if a man understands that he is acting rightly, yet he knows not, under the strict inquiry, whither he is going" ('Moral.,' 29:34).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew A man’sגָ֑בֶר (ḡā·ḇer) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1397: A valiant man, warrior, a person simply steps מִצְעֲדֵי־ (miṣ·‘ă·ḏê-) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 4703: A step, companionship [are] from the LORD, מֵיהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh) Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel so how מַה־ (mah-) Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what can anyone וְ֝אָדָ֗ם (wə·’ā·ḏām) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being understand יָּבִ֥ין (yā·ḇîn) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand his own way? דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃ (dar·kōw) Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action Links Proverbs 20:24 NIVProverbs 20:24 NLT Proverbs 20:24 ESV Proverbs 20:24 NASB Proverbs 20:24 KJV Proverbs 20:24 BibleApps.com Proverbs 20:24 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 20:24 Chinese Bible Proverbs 20:24 French Bible Proverbs 20:24 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Proverbs 20:24 A man's steps are from Yahweh (Prov. 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