The speaker in chapter 2 is the teacher of wisdom, not Wisdom herself.

“My son” is the person the words of the teacher are addressed to. See the comments on 1.8.

“If you receive my words”: This is the first in a series of conditional clauses that combine together in meaning and emphasize the necessity of discipline in the pursuit of wisdom. In Hebrew this conditional clause is not followed by the result clause until the other conditional clauses in verses 3 and 4 have been given. In some languages such a series of isolated “if” clauses will create an unnatural style since the reader may expect the result to follow immediately. Where this is the case, you may find it more natural to shift from conditional clauses to commands in verses 1-4 and then to state the results of obeying these commands as a consequence starting in verse 5. In some translations, for instance, verse 1 begins “[My] child, you must listen to my words and. . ..” Note that this is the model of Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version. “You” is singular and masculine in gender as it refers to “My son”. “Receive” in relation to “words” means to accept, acquire, obtain, or in this context to learn. “My words” refers to the words, thoughts, or ideas the teacher or wise one speaks.

“Receive my words” is sometimes rendered idiomatically; for example, “Put my words in your heart,” “Write my words on your heart,” “Swallow the words I give you,” or “Open your ears to my teaching.”

“Treasure up my commandments with you”: “Treasure up” translates a verb used in Psa 17.14 that Good News Translation renders “stored up.” The sense here is that of saving, guarding, or keeping hidden something precious. “Commandments” are usually the laws and instructions given by Yahweh to his people. In this context, however, the term refers to the instructions given by the teacher of wisdom. Contemporary English Version says “my instructions” and Good News Translation “what I tell you to do.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch gives a good model translation for verse 1: My son, pay attention to what I say to you. Guard my advice like a treasure.

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 .