Proverbs Chapter 14 verse 12 Holy Bible

ASV Proverbs 14:12

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death.
read chapter 14 in ASV

BBE Proverbs 14:12

There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
read chapter 14 in BBE

DARBY Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death.
read chapter 14 in DARBY

KJV Proverbs 14:12

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
read chapter 14 in KJV

WBT Proverbs 14:12


read chapter 14 in WBT

WEB Proverbs 14:12

There is a way which seems right to a man, But in the end it leads to death.
read chapter 14 in WEB

YLT Proverbs 14:12

There is a way -- right before a man, And its latter end `are' ways of death.
read chapter 14 in YLT

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 12. - This verse occurs again in Proverbs 16:25. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man. This may refer to the blinding effects of passion and self-will; for these make a man think his own way best and most desirable. But it seems better to take it as a warning against following a perverted or uninstructed conscience. Conscience needs to be informed by God's Word and ruled by God's will to make it a safe guide. When properly regulated, it is able to pronounce a verdict upon contemplated action, and its verdict must always he obeyed. But warped by prejudice, weakened by disuse and disobedience, judicially blinded in punishment and in consequence of sin, it loses all power of moral judgment, and becomes inoperative of good; and then, as to the way that seemed at the moment right, the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 5:5). The man is following a false light, and is led astray, and goes headlong to destruction (comp. Romans 1:28; 1 Timothy 4:2; see on ver. 13). St. Gregory ('Moral.,' 5:12) has some words on this subject: "There are times when we are ignorant whether the very things which we believe we do aright, are rightly done in the strict Judge's eye. For it often happens that an action of ours, which is cause for our condemnation, passes with us for the aggrandizement of virtue. Often by the same act whereby we think to appease the Judge, he is urged to anger when favourable Hence, while holy men are getting the mastery over their evil habits, their very good practices even become an object of dread to them, lest, when they desire to do a good action, they be decoyed by a semblance of the thing, lest the baleful canker of corruption lurk under the fair appearance of a goodly colour. For they know that they are still charged with the burden of corruption, and cannot exactly discern the things that be good" (Oxford transl.).

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, and yet he will be punished if he follows it, for his perverted conscience may arise from his desertion of God, and his refusal of the light He offered. (Comp. Romans 1:28, sqq.)