Proverbs

Proverbs 2:2–9

²if you incline your ear to wisdom

and direct your heart to understanding,

³if you truly call out to insight

and lift your voice to understanding,

⁴if you seek it like silver

and search it out like hidden treasure,

⁵then you will discern the fear of the LORD

and discover the knowledge of God.

⁶For the LORD gives wisdom;

from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

⁷He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to those who walk with integrity,

⁸to guard the paths of justice

and protect the way of His saints.

⁹Then you will discern righteousness

and justice and equity— every good path.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
if you incline	לְהַקְשִׁ֣יב	lə·haq·šîḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H7181 incline, attend
your ear	אָזְנֶ֑ךָ	’ā·zə·ne·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H241 ear
to wisdom	לַֽחָכְמָ֣ה	la·ḥā·ḵə·māh	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
and direct	תַּטֶּ֥ה	taṭ·ṭeh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
your heart	לִ֝בְּךָ֗	lib·bə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
to understanding	לַתְּבוּנָֽה׃	lat·tə·ḇū·nāh	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H8394 intelligence, argument, caprice

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
if you	אִ֣ם	’im	Conjunction	H518 if
truly	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
call out	תִקְרָ֑א	ṯiq·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
to insight	לַבִּינָ֣ה	lab·bî·nāh	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H998 understanding
and lift	תִּתֵּ֥ן	tit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
your voice	קוֹלֶֽךָ׃	qō·w·le·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
to understanding	לַ֝תְּבוּנָ֗ה	lat·tə·ḇū·nāh	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H8394 intelligence, argument, caprice

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
you seek	תְּבַקְשֶׁ֥נָּה	tə·ḇaq·šen·nāh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H1245 seek
it like silver	כַכָּ֑סֶף	ḵak·kā·sep̄	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3701 silver, money
and search it out	תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂנָּה׃	taḥ·pə·śen·nāh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2664 search
like hidden treasure	וְֽכַמַּטְמוֹנִ֥ים	wə·ḵam·maṭ·mō·w·nîm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4301 hidden treasure, treasure

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
then	אָ֗ז	’āz	Adverb	H227 at that time, then
you will discern	תָּ֭בִין	tā·ḇîn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H995 discern
the fear	יִרְאַ֣ת	yir·’aṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3374 fear
of the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and discover	תִּמְצָֽא׃	tim·ṣā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H4672 attain to, find
the knowledge	וְדַ֖עַת	wə·ḏa·‘aṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H1847 knowledge
of God	אֱלֹהִ֣ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
gives	יִתֵּ֣ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
wisdom	חָכְמָ֑ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
from His mouth	מִ֝פִּ֗יו	mip·pîw	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
come knowledge	דַּ֣עַת	da·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
and understanding	וּתְבוּנָֽה׃	ū·ṯə·ḇū·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8394 intelligence, argument, caprice

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He stores up	וְצָפַן	wə·ṣå̄·p̄an	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6845 hide, treasure up
sound wisdom	תּוּשִׁיָּ֑ה	tū·šî·yāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8454 sound, efficient wisdom, abiding success
for the upright	לַ֭יְשָׁרִים	lay·šā·rîm	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H3477 straight, right
He is a shield	מָ֝גֵ֗ן	mā·ḡên	Noun - common singular	H4043 shield
to those who walk	לְהֹ֣לְכֵי	lə·hō·lə·ḵê	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H1980 go, come, walk
with integrity	תֹֽם׃	ṯōm	Noun - masculine singular	H8537 completeness, integrity

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
to guard	לִ֭נְצֹר	lin·ṣōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5341 watch, guard, keep
the paths	אָרְח֣וֹת	’ā·rə·ḥō·wṯ	Noun - common plural construct	H734 way, path
of justice	מִשְׁפָּ֑ט	miš·pāṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
and protect	יִשְׁמֹֽר׃	yiš·mōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
the way	וְדֶ֖רֶךְ	wə·ḏe·reḵ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
of His saints	חֲסִידוֹ	ḥă·sī·ḏō	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H2623 kind, pious

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then	אָ֗ז	’āz	Adverb	H227 at that time, then
you will discern	תָּ֭בִין	tā·ḇîn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H995 discern
righteousness	צֶ֣דֶק	ṣe·ḏeq	Noun - masculine singular	H6664 rightness, righteousness
and justice	וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט	ū·miš·pāṭ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
and equity	וּ֝מֵישָׁרִ֗ים	ū·mê·šā·rîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H4339 evenness, uprightness, equity
every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
good	טֽוֹב׃	ṭō·wḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
path	מַעְגַּל־	ma‘·gal-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4570 entrenchment