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Proverbs 4:7

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4:7Wisdom is supreme12—so13 acquire wisdom,

and whatever you acquire,14 acquire understanding!15

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Footnotes

  1. 12 The absolute and construct state of רֵאשִׁית (re’shit) are identical ( 912 ). Some treat רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה (re’shit khokhmah) as a genitive-construct phrase: “the beginning of wisdom” (cf. , , ). Others take רֵאשִׁית as an absolute functioning as predicate and חָכְמָה as the subject: “wisdom is the first/chief thing” (cf. , ). The context here suggests the predicate.
  2. 13 The term “so” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and style.
  3. 14 The noun קִנְיָן (qinyan) means “thing got or acquired; acquisition” ( 889 ). With the preposition that denotes price, it means “with (or at the price of) all that you have acquired.” The point is that no price is too high for wisdom—give everything for it (K&D 16:108).
  4. 15 The verse is not in the ; some textual critics delete the verse as an impossible gloss that interrupts vv. 6 and 8 (e.g., C. H. Toy, Proverbs [], ).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,

and whatever you get, get insight.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.

Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.

And whatever else you get, get understanding.

NLTNew Living Translation

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!

And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

The beginning of wisdom: Get wisdom!

With all that is in your possession, gain insight.

KJV 1900King James Version

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:

And with all thy getting get understanding.