Phrase guide

seek and ye shall find

proverb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

proverb

Meaning 1

Something can be found if it is sought.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

proverb

Meaning 2

Effort will be rewarded.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the King James translation of Matthew 7:7: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اللّي يدَوّر يلقى — one finds what one looks for
  • Bulgarian: който търси, намира (kojto tǎrsi, namira) — one finds what one looks for
  • Czech: kdo hledá, najde — one finds what one looks for
  • Dutch: zoekt en gij zult vinden — one finds what one looks for
  • Dutch: wie zoekt, die vindt — one finds what one looks for
  • Finnish: etsivä löytää — one finds what one looks for
  • French: qui cherche trouve — one finds what one looks for
  • French: qui cherche, trouve — one finds what one looks for
  • German: suche und du wirst finden — one finds what one looks for
  • German: wer suchet, der findet — one finds what one looks for
  • Hebrew: יָגַעְתָּ וּמָצָאתָ – תַּאֲמִין (yagá'ta umatzáta taamín) — one finds what one looks for
  • Korean: 궁즉통 (gungjeuktong) — one finds what one looks for
  • Persian: جوینده یابنده است (juyande yâbande ast) — one finds what one looks for
  • Polish: szukajcie, a znajdziecie — one finds what one looks for
  • Polish: kto szuka, ten znajdzie — one finds what one looks for
  • Portuguese: quem procura acha — one finds what one looks for
  • Russian: ищи́те да обря́щете (iščíte da obrjáščete) — one finds what one looks for
  • Russian: кто и́щет, тот найдёт (kto íščet, tot najdjót) — one finds what one looks for
  • Russian: кто и́щет, тот всегда́ найдёт (kto íščet, tot vsegdá najdjót) — one finds what one looks for
  • Swedish: sök och du skall finna — one finds what one looks for
  • Arabic: اِسعَ يَا عَبْد وأنا معاك — effort will be rewarded
  • Arabic: مَن جَدَّ وَجَد (man jadda wajad) — effort will be rewarded
  • Bulgarian: който търси, намира (kojto tǎrsi, namira) — effort will be rewarded
  • Arabic: اُطْلُبُوا تَجِدُوا (uṭlubū tajidū) — Bible quotation from Matthew 7:7
  • Bulgarian: търсете и ще намерите (tǎrsete i šte namerite) — Bible quotation from Matthew 7:7
  • German: suchet, so werdet ihr finden — Bible quotation from Matthew 7:7
  • Swedish: sök och ni skall finna — Bible quotation from Matthew 7:7