“My son, be attentive to my wisdom”: Note that Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version have “My child,” although the person addressed in this chapter has a wife (verses 15-20). Contemporary English Version, which has also used “my child” in previous chapters, recognizes that “child” is not appropriate in this chapter and has changed to “My son.” “Be attentive” is as in 4.1 and 20. “My wisdom” means “the wisdom I teach” or “the wise things I say.”

“Incline your ear to my understanding”: For “incline . . . ear” see 2.2 and 4.20. “My understanding” refers to what the teacher understands and passes on to his pupils and so refers to the content of the education he gives, that is, “my teachings” or “what I teach you.” This is essentially the same as “my wisdom” in the first line.

If the two lines of the verse would be too repetitive in translation, or if it is difficult to find alternative words for “wisdom” and “understanding”, it may be desirable to restructure in the way Good News Translation does, linking the two verbs together and then the two nouns. Because of the way the sentence continues in the next verse, translations in some languages restructure the second line to say, for example, “I want to give you good thoughts and understanding (2) so that you will. . ..”

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 .