8:5

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

5a
O simple ones, learn to be shrewd ;

5b
O fools, gain understanding.

8:5a

O simple ones: In Hebrew, the word simple refers to inexperienced, naive people who allow themselves to be easily persuaded or led astray into foolish behavior.

The same word occurs in 1:4a.

learn to be shrewd: The word shrewd means “prudence” or “cleverness.” It refers to a person’s ability to make clever plans to achieve his goals.

8:5b

O fools: This word for fools refers to people who do what is stupid and wrong because they are mentally lazy and complacent. They do not see the need to change their own foolish behavior.

The same word occurs in 1:22c.

gain understanding: The clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gain understanding is literally “understand heart.” It means to acquire intelligence. Another way to translate this is:

Learn how to think.

General Comment on 8:5a–b

In some languages, it may be necessary to combine and/or reorder the parallel lines to avoid the impression that the “simple” and the “foolish” are distinct groups of people who are asked to gain different things. See the Display for 8:5a–b (combined/reordered) for one way to do this.

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