“I did not listen to the voice of my teachers”: that is, “I did not obey the instruction my teachers gave me” or “I paid no attention to what my teachers said.”

“Or incline my ear . . . instructors”: For “incline . . . ear” see 5.1. “My instructors” is literally “those who instructed me.”

The two lines of this verse are very close in meaning. Translations that often do not repeat two such lines make verse 13 one line; for example, “I paid no attention to my teachers” (Contemporary English Version). See Good News Translation for another handling of this verse.

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 .