so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul. If you have found it, then there will be a reward: Your hope will not be cut off.
Parallel Translations
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so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul. If you have found it, then there will be a reward: Your hope will not be cut off.
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So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
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So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Cross-references (11)
Passages linked to Proverbs 24:14 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.
- Proverbs 2:10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
- Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by your name, Yahweh, God of Armies.
- Psalms 119:103 How sweet are your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth!
- Proverbs 23:18 Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
- Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures: then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.
- Proverbs 3:13-18 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding. For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her. Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
- Proverbs 22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
- Psalms 19:10-11 They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb. Moreover your servant is warned by them. In keeping them there is great reward.
- Psalms 119:111 I have taken your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.
- Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Or, reward.
Or, reward.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain When thou hast found it; whereby he implies that…
When thou hast found it; whereby he implies that there is indeed some difficulty and trouble in the pursuit of wisdom, but that it is abundantly compensated with the sweetness and advantage of it when a man arrives at it.
Then there shall be a reward, Heb. and or also there is a reward. It is not only as good as honey, sweet for the present, but it is infinitely better, bringing a sure and everlasting reward with it.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling…
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous,.... The church of God, which is the righteous man's dwelling place, and where he desires and delights to dwell; or his own dwelling house; it may be rendered, "at the dwelling of the righteous" (p); lay not wait at his door to observe who goes in and out, and what is done there; and to watch for his halting, and take notice of his infirmities, slips, and falls, and improve them to his disadvantage; and so the Vulgate Latin version, "and lay not wait and seek ungodliness in the house of the righteous"; or lay not wait there for him, as Saul set men to watch the house of David to kill him, Sa1 19:11; or to take an opportunity and get into it and plunder it, as follows;
spoil not his resting place: by pulling it down, or stripping it of its furniture; by robbing him of the substance in it, and thus disturbing his rest, and destroying the place of it; or the place where he lies down as a sheep in its fold, or as the shepherd in his cottage, of which the words in the text are used; and so denote that as the righteous man is like a sheep, harmless and innocent, those that lay in wait for him and spoil him are no other than wolves.
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(p) "habitaculo", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus; "habitationi", Michaelis; "mansioni", Cocceius, Schultens.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain A reward - It is not only sweet for…
A reward - It is not only sweet for the present, but brings a sure and everlasting reward.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 14. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be…
Verse 14. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul] True religion, experimental godliness, shall be to thy soul as the honey-comb is to thy mouth.
Then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.] This is precisely the same with that in the preceding chapter, Pr 23:18, where see the note. See Clarke on Pr 23:18. The word אחרית acharith, we translate in the former place an end, and here we translate it a reward; but there is no place I believe in the sacred writings in which it has any such acceptation; nor can such a meaning be deduced from the root אחר achar, which always refers to behind, after, extremity, latter part, time, c., but never carries the idea of recompense, compensation, or such like nor has one of the versions understood it so. There is another state or life, and thy expectation of happiness in a future world shall not be cut off. In this sense the versions all understood it. I will take them as they lie before me.
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"Which (wisdom) when thou shalt have found, thou shalt have hope in thy last days; and thy hope shall not perish." - Vulgate.
"And if thou find it, thou shalt have a good death; and hope shall not forsake thee." - Septuagint.
"Which, if thou have found, thy latter days shall be better than the former; and thy hope shall not be consumed." - Chaldee.
"There shall be an end, and thy hope shall not be cut off." - Syriac.
"For, if thou shalt find her, (wisdom,) thy death shall be glorious, and thy hope will not fail thee." - Arabic.
Whiche whan thou fyndist schalt han in the last thingis, hope: and thin hope schal not perischen. - Old MS. Bible.
"And there is GOOD HOPE; yee that hope shal not be in vayne." - Coverdale.
This rendering is indefinite, which is not the usual custom of the translator.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The knowledge of wisdom - Better, Know that thus…
The knowledge of wisdom - Better, Know that thus (like the honey) is wisdom to thy soul.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Thou shalt. Hebrew, "yea, it is the last." (Montanus)…
Thou shalt. Hebrew, "yea, it is the last." (Montanus) --- "Then there shall be a reward." (Protestants) --- Thou shalt enjoy old age, or have posterity. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain reward--literally, "after part," the proper result (compare Pro 23:18;…
reward--literally, "after part," the proper result (compare Pro 23:18; Psa 37:37-38).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 14. so shall the knowledge of wisdom be] Rather,…
14. so shall the knowledge of wisdom be] Rather, so know wisdom to be. With like avidity as you eat honey (Pro_24:13), know, get to know, pursue the knowledge of, wisdom. Comp. Psa_19:10 (Hebrews 11).
reward] See Pro_23:18 note.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (14) So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto…
(14) So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul.—Rather, Know (or understand) that wisdom is such (equally sweet and good) for thy soul.
A reward.—Literally, a future. (Comp. Pro_23:18.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy…
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul; better, know, apprehend wisdom to be such for thy soul to be as pleasant and nourishing and profitable to thy soul, as honey is to thy taste and thy body. The moralist would have his disciple feel the same relish for wisdom that he has for sweet food, recognize it not simply as useful, but as delightful and enjoyable. When thou hast found it. To find wisdom is to get possession of it and use it. (comp. Pro_3:13, and note there) Then there shall be a reward. The apodosis begins here. We have had the same assurance in Pro_23:18 (where see note). The word is literally future. One who has obtained wisdom has a glorious hope before him; habebis in novissimis spem, Vulgate; but his hope is better than that it goes with him, not in his last hour only, but all his life long. Septuagint, "Then shalt thou perceive wisdom in thy soul; for if thou find it, fair shall be thine end, and hope shall not fail thee."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain v. 14. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be…
v. 14. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul, altogether agreeable and full of rich nourishment and therefore well worth acquiring; when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off, the future will show that the acquiring of wisdom was well worthwhile.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.