Proverbs 2:15
New International Version
whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.

New Living Translation
Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong.

English Standard Version
men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.

Berean Standard Bible
whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.

King James Bible
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

New King James Version
Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths;

New American Standard Bible
Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways;

NASB 1995
Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways;

NASB 1977
Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways;

Legacy Standard Bible
Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their tracks;

Amplified Bible
Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways;

Christian Standard Bible
whose paths are crooked, and whose ways are devious.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
whose paths are crooked, and whose ways are devious.

American Standard Version
Who are crooked in their ways, And wayward in their paths:

Contemporary English Version
They are dishonest themselves, and so are all their deeds.

English Revised Version
Who are crooked in their ways, and perverse in their paths:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Their paths are crooked. Their ways are devious.

Good News Translation
unreliable people who cannot be trusted.

International Standard Version
whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways,

Majority Standard Bible
whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious.

NET Bible
whose paths are morally crooked, and who are devious in their ways;

New Heart English Bible
who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths:

Webster's Bible Translation
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

World English Bible
who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Whose paths [are] crooked, "" Indeed, they are perverted in their ways.

Young's Literal Translation
Whose paths are crooked, Yea, they are perverted in their ways.

Smith's Literal Translation
Whose paths are perverted, and in their tracks are bent aside:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Whose ways are perverse, and their steps infamous.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Their ways are perverse, and their steps are infamous.

New American Bible
Whose ways are crooked, whose paths are devious;

New Revised Standard Version
those whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Men whose ways are crooked and whose paths are perverse.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Their ways are perverted and their paths are crooked.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Who are crooked in their ways, And perverse in their paths;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
whose paths are crooked, and their courses winding;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Benefits of Wisdom
14from those who enjoy doing evil and rejoice in the twistedness of evil, 15whose paths are crooked and whose ways are devious. 16It will rescue you from the forbidden woman, from the stranger with seductive words…

Cross References
Psalm 125:5
But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.

Isaiah 59:8
The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have turned them into crooked paths; no one who treads on them will know peace.

Romans 3:12
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. / But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Isaiah 30:11
Get out of the way; turn off the road. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel!”

Jeremiah 6:16
This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’

1 Peter 3:11
He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

Proverbs 4:14-15
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. / Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.

Proverbs 21:8
The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

Philippians 2:15
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

Isaiah 53:6
We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

Proverbs 10:9
He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.

Proverbs 28:18
He who walks with integrity will be kept safe, but whoever is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

Ephesians 4:14
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.


Treasury of Scripture

Whose ways are crooked, and they fraudulent in their paths:

Deuteronomy 32:5
They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

Psalm 125:5
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.

Isaiah 30:8-13
Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: …

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Proverbs 2
1. wisdom promises godliness to her children
10. and safety from evil company
20. and direction in good ways














whose paths are crooked
The word "paths" in Hebrew is "אָרְחוֹת" (orchot), which often refers to a way of life or a course of conduct. In the ancient Near Eastern context, a path was not just a physical route but a metaphor for one's moral and ethical journey. The term "crooked" comes from the Hebrew "עִקְּשִׁים" (iqqeshim), meaning twisted or perverse. This imagery suggests a deviation from the straight and righteous path that God desires for His people. In a conservative Christian perspective, this phrase warns against the moral and spiritual dangers of straying from God's commandments. The crooked path symbolizes a life that is not aligned with divine wisdom, leading to confusion and spiritual peril.

and whose ways are devious
The word "ways" is translated from the Hebrew "דַּרְכֵיהֶם" (darkeihem), which, like "paths," signifies one's manner of living or habitual conduct. The term "devious" is derived from the Hebrew "לֻזִּים" (luzim), meaning to turn aside or to be deceitful. This phrase emphasizes the intentional and cunning nature of those who choose to live in opposition to God's truth. Historically, the Israelites were often warned against adopting the devious practices of surrounding nations, which were characterized by idolatry and immorality. From a conservative Christian viewpoint, this serves as a caution to remain vigilant and discerning, ensuring that one's life reflects the integrity and righteousness that God commands. The devious ways are a stark contrast to the wisdom and understanding that Proverbs encourages believers to seek, highlighting the importance of aligning one's life with God's will to avoid spiritual deception and destruction.

Verse 15. - Whose ways are crooked; better, perhaps, who as to their ways are crooked. This is the construction adopted by Fleischer, Berthean, Zockler, and others, though it may be remarked that the substantive אֹרַח (orakh), "way," is common gender, and may thin; agree with the adjective עֵקֵשׁ (ikesh), "perverse," which is masculine. The Targum, LXX., Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, all make "crooked" agree with "ways," do that, grammatically, the Authorized Version may be regarded as not incorrect. Crooked (עִקְּשִׁים ik'shim); i.e. tortuous, perverse, not straightforward, (σκολιαὶ, LXX.). Symmachus translates the original by σκαμβαί, i.e. "bent." Theodotion, by στριβλαί, "twisted, crookt? Sinners, in their perverseness, are ever winding about, turning in every direction, and changing from purpose to purpose, as wayward caprice or shifting inclination, the alternations of evil propensity, happen to dictate (Wardlaw). (For the expressions "crooked ways," see Psalm 125:5.) And they froward in their paths; i.e. perverse in their paths. The root idea of the Hebrew niph. participle וּנְלוזִים (vun'lozim), translated "and they froward," is "to bend aside," "to turn away." They are turned aside to the right hand and to the left in their walk. The niph. participle נָלוז (naloz) only occurs four times in the Scriptures - here; Proverbs 3:32; Proverbs 14:2; and Isaiah 30:12. This is the last feature in their wickedness.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
whose
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

paths
אָרְחֹתֵיהֶ֣ם (’ā·rə·ḥō·ṯê·hem)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 734: A well-trodden road, a caravan

are crooked,
עִקְּשִׁ֑ים (‘iq·qə·šîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6141: Twisted, perverted

and whose ways
בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָֽם׃ (bə·ma‘·gə·lō·w·ṯām)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4570: An entrenchment, track

are devious.
וּ֝נְלוֹזִ֗ים (ū·nə·lō·w·zîm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3868: To turn aside, to depart, be perverse


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 2:15 Who are crooked in their ways (Prov. Pro Pr)
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