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Blessings of Obtaining Wisdom

13 Blessed[a] is the one[b] who has found[c] wisdom,
and the one who obtains[d] understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:13 tn Although the word אַשְׁרֵי (ʾashre, “blessed”) is frequently translated “happy” here (so KJV, ASV, NAB, NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT), such a translation can be somewhat misleading. The core meaning of the word conveys “benefit” or “advantage,” sometimes meaning security. Though feeling glad about the benefit is often in view, “happy” is too narrow a translation. For example, Job 5:17 says the one whom God corrects is אַשְׁרֵי. Clearly the correction is a benefit; less clearly does it prompt inner happiness. On the other hand “blessed” should not be confused with בָּרַךְ (barakh) “to bless,” used in pronouncing blessings.
  2. Proverbs 3:13 tn Heb “the man” (also again in the following line).
  3. Proverbs 3:13 tn The verb מָצָא (matsaʾ) is a dynamic root in the perfect conjugation, best represented here by the English perfect “has found.” The formula with אַשְׁרֵי (ʾashre, “blessed”) most commonly uses the imperfect or participle for future or present activities. The perfect identifies an action in the past with continuing results. The present focus of the continuing results is sufficient to be in parallel with the following imperfect verb, which may be understood as present or future. The blessings, or benefits, that accrue to someone who has found wisdom are identified in the following verses.
  4. Proverbs 3:13 tn The precise meaning of the word פּוּק (puq) is unclear. It occurs only 7 times in the Bible and the meanings of cognates in other languages are disputed. It involves “obtaining” as is clear from its parallelism with מָצָא (matsaʾ; “to find”) here and elsewhere. But it is not clear whether it considers the process of obtaining or just the final achievement of obtaining (compare getting a wife in Prov 18:22). The lexical meaning affects one’s understanding of the imperfect form of the verb. If its lexical meaning focuses on the achievement, then it should probably be understood as future. This would work with the perfect verb in the first line to include those who will yet pursue and obtain understanding in receiving the benefits of wisdom. It could also be understood as a general present. If the lexical meaning includes the process of obtaining, that opens the possibilities of using the imperfect tense for progressive or habitual meaning.