Proverbs 2:11

2:11 Discretion ¹  will protect you, ² 

understanding will guard you,

Proverbs 3:13

Blessings of Obtaining Wisdom

3:13 Blessed ³  is the one ⁴  who finds ⁵  wisdom,

and the one who obtains ⁶  understanding.

Proverbs 10:23

10:23 Carrying out a wicked scheme ⁷  is enjoyable ⁸  to a fool,

and so is wisdom for the one who has discernment. ⁹ 

Proverbs 14:29

14:29 The one who is slow to anger has great understanding,

but the one who has a quick temper ¹⁰  exalts ¹¹  folly.

Proverbs 15:21

15:21 Folly is a joy to one who lacks sense, ¹² 

but one who has understanding ¹³  follows an upright course. ¹⁴ 

Proverbs 17:27

17:27 The truly wise person ¹⁵  restrains ¹⁶  his words,

and the one who stays calm ¹⁷  is discerning.

Proverbs 19:8

19:8 The one who acquires wisdom ¹⁸  loves himself; ¹⁹ 

the one who preserves understanding will prosper. ²⁰ 

Proverbs 20:5

20:5 Counsel ²¹  in a person’s heart ²²  is like ²³  deep water, ²⁴ 

but an understanding person ²⁵  draws it out.

Proverbs 21:30

21:30 There is no wisdom and there is no understanding,

and there is no counsel against ²⁶  the Lord. ²⁷ 

[2:11]  ¹ tn The word מְזִמָּה (mÿzimmah, “discretion”) is the ability to know the best course of action for achieving one’s goal. It is knowledge and understanding with a purpose. This kind of knowledge enables one to make the right choices that will protect him from blunders and their consequences (cf. NLT “wise planning”; CEV “sound judgment”).

[2:11]  ² tn Heb “will watch over you.”

[3:13]  ³ tn Although the word אַשְׁרֵי (’ashre, “blessed”) is frequently translated “happy” here (so KJV, ASV, NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT), such a translation can be somewhat misleading because the word means more than that – “happiness” depends on one’s circumstances. This word reflects that inner joy and heavenly bliss which comes to the person who is pleasing to God, whose way is right before God.

[3:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “the man” (also again in the following line).

[3:13]  ⁵ tn The perfect tense verb may be classified as a characteristic or gnomic perfect, as the parallel imperfect tense verb suggests (see note on v. 13b).

[3:13]  ⁶ tn The imperfect tense verb may be classified as a progressive or habitual imperfect.

[10:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “doing a plan.” The noun זִמָּה (zimmah, “plan”) is often used pejoratively of a scheme to do wickedness. It is used elsewhere for planning lewdness, murder, incest, adultery, idolatry, and licentiousness. Any planned gross impropriety gives the fool pleasure. The verb עָשָׂה (’asah, “to do”) here means “to carry out (a plan)” (BDB 794 s.v.).

[10:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “like sport” (so NASB, NRSV). The noun שְׂחוֹק (sÿkhoq, “sport”) is used elsewhere to refer to what is exhilarating and pleasurable (BDB 966 s.v.). As W. G. Plaut says, it is like child’s play (Proverbs, 132). For the fool evil brings such enjoyment; for the discerning wisdom does.

[10:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “a man of discernment.”

[14:29]  ⁷ tn Heb “hasty of spirit” (so KJV, ASV); NRSV, NLT “a hasty temper.” One who has a quick temper or a short fuse will be evident to everyone, due to his rash actions.

[14:29]  ⁸ sn The participle “exalts” (מֵרִים, merim) means that this person brings folly to a full measure, lifts it up, brings it to the full notice of everybody.

[15:21]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew text reads לַחֲסַר־לֵב (lakhasar-lev, “to one who lacks heart”). The Hebrew term “heart” represents the mind, the place where proper decisions are made (cf. NIV “judgment”). The one who has not developed this ability to make proper choices finds great delight in folly.

[15:21]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “a man of understanding” (so KJV, NIV); NLT “a sensible person.”

[15:21]  ¹¹ tn The Hebrew construction is יְיַשֶּׁר־לָכֶת (yÿyasher-lakhet, “makes straight [to] go”). This is a verbal hendiadys, in which the first verb, the Piel imperfect, becomes adverbial, and the second form, the infinitive construct of הָלַךְ, halakh, becomes the main verb: “goes straight ahead” (cf. NRSV).

[17:27]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the one knowing knowledge.” The cognate accusative underscores the meaning of the participle – this is a truly knowledgeable person.

[17:27]  ¹² sn The participle חוֹשֵׂךְ (khosekh) means “withholds; restrains; refrains; spares; holds in check,” etc. One who has knowledge speaks carefully.

[17:27]  ¹³ tn Heb “cool of spirit.” This genitive of specification describes one who is “calm” (so NCV, TEV, CEV) or “even-tempered” (so NIV, NLT); he is composed.

[19:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “heart.” Most English versions translate as “wisdom,” but cf. NAB “intelligence.” This refers to a mind that works (e.g., Prov 7:7; 9:4).

[19:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “his own soul.” The expression “loves his soul” means that he is paying attention to his needs or taking care of his life (cf. NAB “is his own best friend”). This expression works with its parallel to provide the whole idea: “loving the soul” is the metonymy of the cause for prospering, and “prospering” is the metonymy of the effect (of loving).

[19:8]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “finds good” (similar KJV, NASB); NCV “will succeed.” The MT reads לִמְצֹא (limtso’), a Qal infinitive construct. The LXX (as well as the other major early versions) renders it as a future, which reflects a Vorlage of יִמְצָא (yimtsa’). The infinitive is used here in a modal sense, meaning “is destined to” or “is certain of” finding good in life.

[20:5]  ¹⁵ sn The noun means “advice, counsel”; it can have the connotation of planning or making decisions. Those with understanding can sort out plans.

[20:5]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “in the heart of a man”; NRSV “in the human mind.”

[20:5]  ¹⁷ tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied for the sake of clarity.

[20:5]  ¹⁸ sn The motives or plans of a person are “difficult to fathom”; it takes someone with understanding to discover and surface them (the verb in the last colon continues the figure with the sense of bringing the plans to the surface and sorting them out).

[20:5]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “a man of understanding”; TEV “someone with insight”; NLT “the wise.”

[21:30]  ¹⁷ tn The form לְנֶגֶד (lÿneged) means “against; over against; in opposition to.” The line indicates they cannot in reality be in opposition, for human wisdom is nothing in comparison to the wisdom of God (J. H. Greenstone, Proverbs, 232).

[21:30]  ¹⁸ sn The verse uses a single sentence to state that all wisdom, understanding, and advice must be in conformity to the will of God to be successful. It states it negatively – these things cannot be in defiance of God (e.g., Job 5:12-13; Isa 40:13-14).