Proverbs 8 · Verse 14

Proverbs 8:14

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
Proverbs 8:14, King James Version

Proverbs 8:14 in other translations

BSBCounsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight and strength.
WEBCounsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
ASVCounsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.
YLTMine is counsel and substance, I am understanding, I have might.
DARBYCounsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am intelligence; I have strength.
BBEWise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
WebsterCounsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

What does Proverbs 8:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. It also gives the elements of good character in counsel. sound wisdom--(Pr 2:7). I ... strength--or, "As for me, understanding is strength to me," the source of power (Ec 9:16); good judgment gives more efficiency to actions;

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Counsel is mine - Direction how to act in all circumstances and on all occasions must come from wisdom: the foolish man can give no counsel, cannot show another how he is to act in the various changes and chances of life. The wise man alone can give this counsel; and he can give it only as continually receiving instruction from God: for this Divine wisdom can say, תושיה Tushiyah, substance, reality, essence, all belong to me: I am the Fountain whence all are derived. Man may be wise, and good, and prudent, and ingenious; but these he derives from me, and they are dependently in him. But in me all these are independently and essentially inherent. And sound wisdom - See above. This is a totally false translation: תושיה tushiyah means essence, substance, reality; the source and substance of good. How ridiculous the support derived by certain authors from this translation in behalf of their system! See the writers on and quoters of Proverbs 8 (note). I have strength - Speaking still of wisdom as communicating rays of its light to man, it enables him to bring every thing to his aid; to construct machines by which one man can do the work of hundreds. From it comes all mathematical learning, all mechanical knowledge; from it originally came the inclined plane, the wedge, the screw, the pulley, in all its multiplications; and the lever, in all its combinations and varieties, came from this wisdom. And as all these can produce prodigies of power, far surpassing all kinds of animal energy, and all the effects of the utmost efforts of muscular force; hence the maxim of Lord Bacon, "Knowledge is power," built on the maxim of the tushiyah itself; לי גבורה li geburah, Mine Is Strength.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 8:12-21

Wisdom, here is Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it is Christ in the word, and Christ in the heart; not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ revealed in us. All prudence and skill are from the Lord. Through the redemption of Christ's precious blood, the riches of his grace abound in all wisdom and prudence. Man found out many inventions for ruin; God found one for our recovery. He…

Read the full comment on Proverbs 8:12-21 →

Proverbs 8:14 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.

לִֽי\־li-[belong] to me
עֵ֭צָה'E.tzahcounselH6098
וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑הve.tu.shi.Yahand sound wisdomH8454
אֲנִ֥י'a.NiIH589
בִ֝ינָ֗הvi.Nah[am] understandingH998
לִ֣יli[belongs] to me
גְבוּרָֽה\׃ge.vu.RahstrengthH1369

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

Cross references for Proverbs 8:14

  • Ecclesiastes 7:19

    Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

  • Isaiah 9:6

    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

  • Romans 11:33-34

    O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

  • Isaiah 40:14

    With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

  • Ecclesiastes 9:16-18

    Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

  • Proverbs 2:6-7

    For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

  • Proverbs 24:5

    A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

  • Colossians 2:3

    In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

  • Romans 1:22

    Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

  • 1 Corinthians 1:24

    But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

  • John 1:9

    That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:30

    But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Counsel.
Isa 9:6; 40:14; Joh 1:9; Ro 11:33,34; 1Co 1:24,30; Col 2:3
sound.
2:6,7; Ro 1:22
I have.
24:5; Ec 7:19; 9:16-18

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

Context

  • Proverbs 8:13

    The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

  • Proverbs 8:14

    Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

  • Proverbs 8:15

    By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

Read all of Proverbs 8

Proverbs 8:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Conmigo está el consejo y el ser; yo soy la inteligencia; mía es la fortaleza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		À moi le conseil et le savoir-faire; je suis l’intelligence; à moi la force.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Mein sind Rat und Einsicht; ich bin der Verstand, mein ist die Stärke.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Meum est consilium et æquitas; mea est prudentia, mea est fortitudo.