The Meaning of Proverbs 11:30 Explained

Proverbs 11:30

KJV: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

YLT: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And whoso is taking souls is wise.

Darby: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and the wise winneth souls.

ASV: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that is wise winneth souls.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The fruit  of the righteous  [is] a tree  of life;  and he that winneth  souls  [is] wise. 

What does Proverbs 11:30 Mean?

Verse Meaning

A righteous person exercises a life-giving influence. Furthermore, a wise person wins others to wisdom. That Isaiah , he or she captures others with ideas or influence (cf. 2 Samuel 15:6). [1] While it is true that evangelistic soul-winning is wise work, soul-winning is not all that this verse is talking about. The idea here is that wise people influence others to follow the way of Wisdom of Solomon , which includes turning to God for salvation. [2]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 11

1  On Deception

What do the individual words in Proverbs 11:30 mean?

The fruit of the righteous [is a] tree of life and he who wins souls [is] wise
פְּֽרִי־ צַ֭דִּיק עֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים וְלֹקֵ֖חַ נְפָשׂ֣וֹת‪‬ חָכָֽם

פְּֽרִי־  The  fruit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
צַ֭דִּיק  of  the  righteous 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
עֵ֣ץ  [is  a]  tree 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
חַיִּ֑ים  of  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
וְלֹקֵ֖חַ  and  he  who  wins 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
נְפָשׂ֣וֹת‪‬  souls 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
חָכָֽם  [is]  wise 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).