Proverbs 28:5

5 Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

Proverbs 28:5 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.
English Standard Version (ESV)
5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely.
New Living Translation (NLT)
5 Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the LORD understand completely.
The Message Bible (MSG)
5 Justice makes no sense to the evilminded; those who seek God know it inside and out.
American Standard Version (ASV)
5 Evil men understand not justice; But they that seek Jehovah understand all things.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
5 Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand everything.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
5 Sinful men don't understand what is fair. But those who worship the LORD understand it completely.

Proverbs 28:5 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 28:5

Evil men understand not judgment
Or, "men of wickedness" {b}; that are under the governing power of it; who are given up and give up themselves unto it; who, like Ahab, sell themselves to work wickedness: these know not what is just and right between man and man, at least not to do it; they know it not practically; they are wise to do evil, but to do good have no knowledge, ( Jeremiah 4:22 ) ; they know not the law of God, the rule of judgment, justice, and equity; at least not the extensiveness and spirituality of it, ( Jeremiah 8:7 ) ; and much less the Gospel of Christ, which is sometimes so called, ( Isaiah 42:1 Isaiah 42:4 ) ( 51:4 ) . Nor do they notice, as they should, to the judgments of God in the earth; they do not consider his work, and the operation of his hand; the vengeance he takes on wicked men, so Jarchi interprets it; nor do they take any notice of the judgment to come, at which they must appear, and into which they will be brought, and all things done by them; but they that seek the Lord understand all [things];
this character describes all good men that seek the Lord, in private and in public, that seek him by prayer and supplication, that wait upon him in the ordinances of his house; and all sensible sinners, who seek to Christ for righteousness, for rest, for life and salvation, for more grace from him, for more communion with him, for a greater degree of knowledge of him, and for immortality and eternal life, his kingdom and glory. And such "understand all things"; not in the most full and absolute sense; for this is proper and peculiar to God: nor all things natural and civil, which truly righteous persons, generally speaking, have the least share of, as arts, sciences, languages, trade and commerce in all its branches; and indeed universal knowledge of these things does not belong to anyone alan: nor all things in a religious sense; not all the difficult passages of Scripture, in which there are many things hard to be understood; but all things necessary to salvation; all things relating to their fallen, depraved, and miserable state and condition by nature, and to the way and means of their recovery and salvation by Christ; all things relating to a spiritual and saving knowledge of God in Christ; and to the knowledge of the person, offices, and grace of Christ; and to the work of the Spirit of God upon the heart; and of the doctrines of the Gospel, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, and so as to be food for their souls: and which understanding is given them, and they attain unto and increase in, by seeking the Lord, and using the means of knowledge, the word and ordinances; see ( 1 Corinthians 2:15 ) ( 1 John 2:20 1 John 2:27 ) . The Targum and Syriac version render it,

``that understand all good things;''
and so Aben Ezra interprets it: the Arabic version is, "they understand it in all things"; that is, judgment, justice, and equity, in all its branches, and practise it.
FOOTNOTES:

F2 (er yvna) "viri mali, (in genitivo casu)", Mercerus; "vel malitiae", Baynus, Gejerus.

Proverbs 28:5 In-Context

3 A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.
4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, but those who heed it resist them.
5 Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.
6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.
7 A discerning son heeds instruction, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
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