Proverbs 2 · Verse 4

Proverbs 2:4

If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Proverbs 2:4, King James Version

Proverbs 2:4 in other translations

BSBif you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,
WEBif you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures;
ASVIf thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures:
YLTIf thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treasures searchest for her,
DARBYif thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasures:
BBEIf you are looking for her as for silver, and searching for her as for stored-up wealth;
WebsterIf thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

What does Proverbs 2:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 2:1-5

Pr 2:1-22. Men are invited to seek wisdom because it teaches those principles by which they may obtain God's guidance and avoid the society and influence of the wicked, whose pernicious courses are described. 1-5. Diligence in hearing and praying for instruction must be used to secure the great principle of godliness, the fear of God. hide ... with thee--lay up in store (compare Pr 7:1).

Read the full comment on Proverbs 2:1-5 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 If thou seekest her as silver - How do men seek money? What will they not do to get rich? Reader, seek the salvation of thy soul as earnestly as the covetous man seeks wealth; and be ashamed of thyself, if thou be less in earnest after the true riches than he is after perishing wealth. Hid treasures - The original word signifies property of any kind concealed in the earth, in caves or such like; and may also mean treasures, such as the precious metals or precious stones, which are presumptively known to exist in such and such mines. And how are these sought? Learn from the following circumstance: In the Brazils slaves are employed to scrape up the soil from the bed of the Rio Janeiro, and wash it carefully, in order to find particles of gold and diamonds; and it is a law of the state, that he who finds a diamond of so many carats shall have his freedom. This causes the greatest ardor and diligence in searching, washing out the soil, picking, etc., in order to find such diamonds, and the greatest anxiety for success; so precious is liberty to the human heart. This method of searching for gold and precious stones is alluded to in Pro 3:13-15. In this way Solomon wishes men to seek for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding; and he who succeeds finds the liberty of the children of God, and is saved from the slavery of sin and the empire of death.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 2:1-9

Those who earnestly seek heavenly wisdom, will never complain that they have lost their labour; and the freeness of the gift does not do away the necessity of our diligence, Joh 6:27 Let them seek, and they shall find it; let them ask, and it shall be given them. Observe who are thus favoured. They are the righteous, on whom the image of God is renewed, which consists in righteousness. If we depend upon God, and…

Read the full comment on Proverbs 2:1-9 →

Proverbs 2:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִם\־'im-ifH518
תְּבַקְשֶׁ֥נָּהte.vak.She.nahyou will seek itH1245
כַכָּ֑סֶףkha.Ka.seflike <the> silverH3701
וְֽכַמַּטְמוֹנִ֥יםve.kha.mat.mo.Nimand like <the> treasuresH4301
תַּחְפְּשֶֽׂנָּה\׃tach.pe.Se.nahyou will search for itH2664

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 2:4

  • Matthew 13:44

    Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

  • Matthew 19:29

    And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

  • Proverbs 16:16

    How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

  • Job 3:21

    Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

  • Proverbs 8:18-19

    Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

  • Job 28:12-20

    But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. …

  • Proverbs 3:14-15

    For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

  • Ecclesiastes 4:8

    There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

  • Matthew 6:19-21

    Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

  • Psalms 119:72

    The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

  • Luke 16:8

    And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

  • Psalms 119:127

    Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
thou.
3:14,15; 8:18,19; 16:16; 23:23; Ps 19:10; 119:14,72,127; Mt 6:19-21
Mt 13:44; 19:21,22,29
searchest.
Job 28:12-20; Ec 4:8; Lu 16:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 2:3

    Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

  • Proverbs 2:4

    If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

  • Proverbs 2:5

    Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

Read all of Proverbs 2

Proverbs 2:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Si como á la plata la buscares, y la escudriñares como á tesoros;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		si tu la cherches comme de l’argent et que tu la recherches comme des trésors cachés,
German
Elberfelder 1871		wenn du ihn suchst wie Silber, und wie nach verborgenen Schätzen ihm nachspürst:
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		si quæsieris eam quasi pecuniam, et sicut thesauros effoderis illam: