“Take my instruction instead of silver”: “Take” expresses a command in the second person masculine plural form and has the sense of accepting, receiving, or choosing what is offered. See 1.3. In a context that speaks of “taking” one thing out of two that are mentioned, the term “choose” is very natural in English, as in the Good News Translation and Revised English Bible, renderings. “My instruction” is the instruction or teaching that Wisdom gives. “Instead of silver” is literally “and not silver,” which means “rather than silver” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), or “in preference to silver.” Some translations render this line “Let me teach you, because my words are better than silver.”

“And knowledge rather than choice gold”: As there is no verb in this line, the verb “take” from the first line is to be understood here also. For “knowledge” see 1.4. “Choice gold” refers to gold that is of the highest value and purity. See Good News Translation “finest gold.”

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 .