Infinitive Purpose: The Hidden Aim of Wisdom in Proverbs 19:8

קֹֽנֶה־֭לֵּב אֹהֵ֣ב נַפְשֹׁ֑ו שֹׁמֵ֥ר תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה לִמְצֹא־טֹֽוב׃

Proverbs 19:8 offers more than a praise of self-care—it offers a tightly woven grammatical chain that climaxes in the infinitive phrase לִמְצֹא־טֹוב, “to find good.” The proverb joins two clauses, each with its own participle, and ends with an infinitive construct that expresses purpose or result. This structure showcases one of Biblical Hebrew’s elegant tools: the infinitive construct with a prefixed לְ to express intention or outcome.

Literal Meaning

“One who acquires heart loves his soul; one who keeps understanding [does so] to find good.”

The beauty lies not only in the moral aphorism, but in how the infinitive לִמְצֹא functions. It doesn’t describe an action in time; it expresses the goal—the quiet purpose that explains everything that comes before it.

Word-by-Word Morphological Analysis

1. קֹנֶה־לֵּב (qonê-lēv) –
   Root: ק־נ־ה;
   Form: Qal participle masculine singular + noun in construct;
   Translation: “one who acquires heart”;
   Notes: “Heart” in Hebrew often represents mind, reason, or moral will.
2. אֹהֵב (ʾōhēv) –
   Root: א־ה־ב;
   Form: Qal participle masculine singular;
   Translation: “loves”;
   Notes: Continues the participial style of proverbial statements.
3. נַפְשֹׁו (nafshō) –
   Root: נ־פ־ש;
   Form: feminine singular noun + 3ms suffix;
   Translation: “his soul”;
   Notes: In Hebrew thought, often includes the self, life, or being.
4. שֹׁמֵר (shōmēr) –
   Root: ש־מ־ר;
   Form: Qal participle masculine singular;
   Translation: “one who keeps” or “guards”;
   Notes: May imply guarding or practicing a virtue.
5. תְּבוּנָה (təvūnāh) –
   Root: ב־י־ן (via noun pattern);
   Form: feminine singular noun;
   Translation: “understanding” or “discernment”
6. לִמְצֹא (limṣō) –
   Root: מ־צ־א;
   Form: infinitive construct with prefixed לְ;
   Translation: “to find”;
   Notes: Expresses purpose or result—“in order to find.”
7. טֹוב (ṭôv) –
   Root: ט־ו־ב;
   Form: adjective or noun;
   Translation: “good”;
   Notes: Broad term in Hebrew for well-being, prosperity, or moral goodness.

Infinitive Construct with לְ: Function and Force

The infinitive construct in Biblical Hebrew, when preceded by לְ, commonly expresses purpose. It answers the implicit question: “Why?” In Proverbs 19:8, the second half reads:

שֹׁמֵר תְּבוּנָה לִמְצֹא־טֹוב – “He who guards understanding [does so] in order to find good.”

This is a tight, elegant construction where the infinitive carries the motivational weight of the whole clause. It functions syntactically as the outcome of guarding discernment.

Parallelism with Purpose

This construction highlights the cause-and-effect logic embedded in Biblical Hebrew wisdom: purpose is not just inferred—it is grammatically encoded.

To Find Good, Guard Understanding

Hebrew grammar doesn’t merely tell us what to do; it tells us why. The infinitive לִמְצֹא doesn’t just end the proverb—it completes the thought. It reminds the reader that goodness isn’t random. It is the result of loving the self through acquiring wisdom and guarding discernment.

So when you see an infinitive with לְ in Biblical Hebrew, know that it’s not just an action—it’s an aim. It’s the compass behind the command, the reward behind the discipline. It’s the reason buried in the roots.