Proverbs 3:13
ESV
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,
NIV
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,
NASB
Blessed is a person who finds wisdom, And one who obtains understanding.
CSB
Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding,
NLT
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.
KJV
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
NKJV
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
What does Proverbs 3:13 mean?
In this verse Solomon describes the one who finds wisdom as "blessed." The word "blessed" means happy. Psalm 1:1 identifies the "blessed" [happy] person as the one who rejects the lifestyle of the wicked but delights in God's Word.In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus identified the blessed as the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, and those who are reviled falsely for His sake (Matthew 5:2–11).
Solomon describes wisdom and understanding in Proverbs, but does not explicitly supply definitions. As used across the text, however, wisdom is the ability to act according to accurate knowledge. Understanding, in Proverbs, is insight or intelligence—the ability to know something well enough to pass its value along to others. The acquisition of both wisdom and understanding produces happiness. Believers find life's greatest happiness in knowing and doing God's will and having the insight to determine how they should respond to a godless culture.
