Section 3:13–20

Wisdom is valuable and is useful for both people and the LORD

This section teaches the value of wisdom by showing its usefulness to people and the LORD. It is useful to people, because it results in long life, wealth, honor, pleasantness, and peace (3:13–18). It is useful to the LORD, because he used it to create the world (3:19–20).

Another heading for this section is:

The Value of Wisdom (Contemporary English Version)

Paragraph 3:13–18

3:13

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

13a Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,

13b
the man who acquires understanding,

There is an ellipsis of the phrase “Blessed is” in 3:13b. In many languages, this phrase will need to be supplied from 3:13a. For example:

13b
⌊blessed is⌋ the man who acquires understanding,

3:13a–b

Blessed: The Hebrew word ʾašre translated here as Blessed is not related to the verb “to bless,” but is close in meaning. Literally it means “The good fortune (of the person)” or “How fortunate (is the person)!” It describes the happiness or condition of well-being that comes from being right with the LORD. Many English versions translate this word as “happy.” The word or expression you use in your translation should not imply luck or chance.

finds wisdom…acquires understanding: The parallel verbs used here indicate habitual action. They do not imply that wisdom and understanding were lost and have now been found by chance. Instead, they imply deliberate effort to obtain these qualities. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this information explicit. For example:

⌊searches for and⌋ finds wisdom

In some languages, it may be unnatural to speak of “finding” wisdom or “acquiring” understanding. If this is true in your language, it may be possible to translate this verse as the Good News Translation has done:

Happy is anyone who becomes wise—who comes to have understanding. (Good News Translation)

3:13b

understanding: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as understanding means “good sense” or “competence.”

General Comment on 3:13a–b

In some languages, it may be preferable to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts so that the readers clearly understand that “the man who finds wisdom” is not different from “the man who acquires understanding.” See 3:13a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display for two ways to do this.

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