Amsal 1:5

1:5 (Let the wise also ¹  hear ²  and gain ³  instruction,

and let the discerning ⁴  acquire ⁵  guidance! ⁶ )

Amsal 9:9

9:9 Give instruction ⁷  to a wise person, ⁸  and he will become wiser still;

teach ⁹  a righteous person and he will add to his ¹⁰  learning.

Amsal 12:1

12:1 The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, ¹¹ 

but the one who hates reproof is stupid. ¹² 

Amsal 14:8

14:8 The wisdom of the shrewd person ¹³  is to discern ¹⁴  his way,

but the folly of fools is deception. ¹⁵ 

Mazmur 119:34

119:34 Give me understanding so that I might observe your law,

and keep it with all my heart. ¹⁶ 

Yakobus 3:13

True Wisdom

3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. ¹⁷ 

[1:5]  ¹ tn The term “also” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.

[1:5]  sn Verse 5 functions as a parenthesis in the purpose statements of 1:1-7. There are two purpose statements in 1:2 (“to know wisdom” and “to discern sayings”). The first is stated in detail in 1:3-4, first from the perspective of the student then the teacher. 1:6 will state the second purpose of 1:2. But between the two the writer notes that even the wise can become wiser. The book is not just for neophytes; it is for all who want to grow in wisdom.

[1:5]  ² tn The verb יִשְׁמַע (yishma’) functions as a jussive of advice or counsel (“Let him hear!”) rather than a customary imperfect (“he will hear”). The jussive is supported by the parallelism with the following Hiphil jussive וְיוֹסֶף (vÿyosef, “Let him add!”).

[1:5]  ³ tn Heb “add.”

[1:5]  ⁴ tn The Niphal substantival participle נָבוֹן (navon, “discerning”), rather than the noun, is used to describe a person who is habitually characterized by discernment. 1:5 forms a striking contrast to 1:4 – there was the simpleton and the youth, here the wise and discerning. Both need this book.

[1:5]  ⁵ tn The Hiphil verb וְיוֹסֶף (vÿyosef) is a jussive rather than an imperfect as the final short vowel (segol) and accent on the first syllable shows (BDB 415 s.v. יָסַף Hiph).

[1:5]  ⁶ tn The noun תַּחְבֻּלָה (takhbulah, “direction; counsel”) refers to moral guidance (BDB 287 s.v.). It is related to חֹבֵל (khovel, “sailor”), חִבֵּל (khibel, “mast”) and חֶבֶל (khevel, “rope; cord”), so BDB suggests it originally meant directing a ship by pulling ropes on the mast. It is used in a concrete sense of God directing the path of clouds (Job 37:12) and in a figurative sense of moral guidance (Prov 11:14; 20:18; 24:6). Here it refers to the ability to steer a right course through life (A. Cohen, Proverbs, 2).

[9:9]  ⁷ tn The noun “instruction” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation.

[9:9]  ⁸ sn The parallelism shows what Proverbs will repeatedly stress, that the wise person is the righteous person.

[9:9]  ⁹ tn The Hiphil verb normally means “to cause to know, make known”; but here the context suggests “to teach” (so many English versions).

[9:9]  ¹⁰ tn The term “his” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for the sake of smoothness and clarity.

[12:1]  ¹¹ sn Those who wish to improve themselves must learn to accept correction; the fool hates/rejects any correction.

[12:1]  ¹² sn The word בָּעַר (ba’ar, “brutish; stupid”) normally describes dumb animals that lack intellectual sense. Here, it describes the moral fool who is not willing to learn from correction. He is like a dumb animal (so the term here functions as a hypocatastasis: implied comparison).

[14:8]  ¹³ tn Or “the prudent [person]” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV).

[14:8]  ¹⁴ tn The Hiphil infinitive construct denotes purpose. Those who are shrewd will use it to give careful consideration to all their ways.

[14:8]  ¹⁵ tn The word means “deception,” but some suggest “self-deception” here (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 466; and D. W. Thomas, “Textual and Philological Notes on Some Passages in the Book of Proverbs,” VTSup 3 [1955]: 286); cf. NLT “fools deceive themselves.” The parallelism would favor this, but there is little support for it. The word usually means “craft practiced on others.” If the line is saying the fool is deceitful, there is only a loose antithesis between the cola.

[119:34]  ¹⁶ tn The two prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the introductory imperative.

[3:13]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “works in the gentleness of wisdom.”