2:2

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

2a if you incline your ear to wisdom

2b and direct your heart to understanding,

2:2a–b

if you incline your ear…direct your heart: The two lines of this verse explain how a person “accepts” and “hides” the teacher’s advice. The NET Bible expresses this relationship as follows:

by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding (NET Bible)

The first expression, incline your ear, means to listen attentively. It also implies that a person will obey what he hears. The second expression, direct your heart, means to think seriously or concentrate on something. The heart here refers primarily to a person’s mental faculties—the ability to think and choose.

2:2b

direct your heart to understanding: The Hebrew word tǝbunah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as understanding, is a near synonym of “wisdom.” It means “good sense” or “competence” to handle the situations that a person faces in life. It is different from the word binah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as “insight” in 1:2b. The word binah refers to the ability to interpret and comprehend ideas, whereas tǝbunah refers to the ability to take appropriate action. So the person addressed as “my son” should listen attentively to wise advice and think seriously or concentrate on having good sense. For example:

think what it means to have common sense (Contemporary English Version)

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