He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
Parallel translations
- WEB He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good.
- BSB He who acquires wisdom loves himself; one who safeguards understanding will find success.
- NKJV He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
- NASB One who gets wisdom loves his own soul; One who keeps understanding will find good.
- NLT To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Gaining wisdom is an act of love toward oneself. To pursue understanding is to seek one's own true good.
Overview
This proverb teaches that the one who gets wisdom 'loves his own soul,' and that keeping understanding leads to finding good. Far from selfishness, this is the proper care for one's life that godly wisdom commends. Since the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10), to seek wisdom is to seek God Himself, supremely revealed in Christ, the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:30).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Prov 16:20He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
- Prov 8:35–36For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
- Prov 4:6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
- Prov 3:18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
- 1 Pet 3:10For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
- John 14:21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
- Prov 2:1–9My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
- Ps 19:11Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
- Ezek 36:26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
- Prov 4:21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
- Prov 17:16Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
- Prov 4:4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
- Prov 22:18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
- Prov 3:21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
- John 12:25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 19:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.