Some interpreters hold that this saying is evidence that in ancient Israel there were professional wisdom teachers who taught for money. However that may be, this saying is in the form of a rhetorical question that asserts that wisdom cannot be purchased by a fool since he does not have the intelligence necessary to understand it.

“Why should a fool have a price in his hand to buy wisdom”: We may render this line as a statement or as a question; for example, “It does a fool no good to buy wisdom,” or “Does it do any good for a fool to buy wisdom?” In some languages such a question must be answered in the negative: “Certainly not.” “Price in his hand” may refer to an offer to purchase. It may also refer to having money in the hand ready to purchase. Bible en français courant has “What can money do in the hand of a fool?”

“When he has no mind”: “Mind” translates the Hebrew “heart,” the center of intelligence and thought. This line is equivalent to “since he lacks intelligence” or “since he refuses to learn.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .