Verse 22 gives a reason for the command in verses 20-21.

“For they are life to him who finds them”: The sense of this line is “My sayings give life,” “. . . will cause a person to live,” or “. . . will bring life to the one who. . ..” See Good News Translation. Some versions such as New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible express this in the plural “. . . to those who find them.” “Finds” must not be translated by a word that means “find without searching.” “Find” suggests in this context discovering or locating something as a result of searching. If no such word for “find” exists, it is better to follow Good News Translation “understands.”

“And healing to all his flesh”: Another form of this expression occurs in 3.8. See there for discussion. “Healing”, as in 3.8, refers to the result of healing, which is a cure or health. “His” refers to whoever finds these teachings. “His flesh” in this context may refer in the narrowest sense to the body and in a broader sense to the whole being of the individual. Accordingly, translators differ considerably. For example, New International Version says “health to a man’s whole body,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “health to the one who finds them,” Bible en français courant “health to all who accept them,” and Contemporary English Version “good health for you.” New Jerusalem Bible “health to all humanity” depends on omitting the pronoun from “all his flesh”, and takes the sense to be “all people,” that is, all humanity. The Handbook does not recommend this textual change to translators.

In some languages it is more natural to make the person the subject of the sentence; for example, “The person who understands these words will have good life and will not become sick” or “If you accept my words, you will. . ..”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .