23:23

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

23a
Invest in truth and never sell it—

23b
in wisdom and instruction and understanding.

See the General Comment on 23:23a–b for other ways to arrange the parallel lines.

This verse does not make explicit the source of the truth, wisdom, discipline, and understanding. However, in the context of the other verses in this saying, the implied source is primarily the parents of the young man.

23:23a

Invest in truth and never sell it: This is a metaphor that compares gaining and keeping the truth to buying and not selling merchandise. If a person is willing to give up his money to buy something and he is not willing to sell it again, it implies that what he bought is very valuable. Similarly, the son is advised here to make every effort to learn the truth and to not forget or reject it.

In many languages, it will not be possible to speak of “buying/investing” and “selling” abstract qualities such as truth or wisdom. If that is true in your language, you may use other terms that imply the value of truth and the other qualities that are mentioned here. For example:

Invest in truth and wisdom…and don’t part with them.

Do everything possible to learn what is true. Be careful to never reject it. (Contemporary English Version)

Invest: In Hebrew, this word often means “get” or “acquire.” It is also commonly used to mean “buy.”

23:23b

in wisdom and instruction and understanding: These three things are all closely related to “truth” in 23:23a. They are also mentioned together in 1:2. See the notes there. A different Hebrew verb is used in that verse, but the meaning is similar.

in wisdom: In Hebrew, there is no verb in 23:23b. Many English versions have supplied a verb (“buy” or “get”) in 23:23a from the Hebrew verb “buy/invest,” in 23:23b. The Berean Standard Bible implies the word “invest” at the beginning of this verse part. For example:

Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding (New International Version)
-or-
Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. (English Standard Version)
-or-
Invest in truth and never sell it—⌊invest⌋ in wisdom and instruction and understanding. (Berean Standard Bible)

The command to “get/buy/invest in wisdom” means “become wise.” As in other verses in Proverbs, wisdom involves both knowledge and action. A person who has wisdom understands what will lead to a good result and acts accordingly.

instruction: In this context, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as instruction refers to moral instruction or training. The command to “get/buy/invest in instruction” means “learn what is taught.”

understanding: The command to “get/buy/invest in understanding” means “develop the ability to correctly understand the meaning.”

General Comment on 23:23a–b

Some English versions arrange the parallel parts as the Berean Standard Bible has done. They have the positive and negative commands to “buy/invest in” and “not sell” the truth in the first line. They put the other three things in the second line. For example:

23a Buy truth and do not sell it;

23b buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. (English Standard Version)

Other versions reorder the parallel parts so that all four things occur together. For example:

Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense—these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell. (Good News Translation)

Notice that the Good News Translation puts both commands in the last part of the verse. The Contemporary English Version (see the quote in 23:23a) puts one command at the beginning and the other command at the end.

You may use any of these options. The positive and negative commands reinforce the same meaning. Within the parallel lines, they refer equally to truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

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