⁵ A wise man hearing shall be the wiser; and a man (of) understanding shall hold governance. (A wise person listening shall become wiser; and a person understanding shall gain skills, or abilities.)

⁶ He shall perceive a parable, and the expounding; the words of wise men, and the dark figurative speeches of them. (He shall understand a proverb, and its expounding, or its explanation; yea, the words of the wise, and their riddles.)

⁷ The dread of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; fools despise wisdom and teaching. (The fear of the Lord/Reverence for the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; but fools despise wisdom and teaching.)

⁸ My son, hear thou the teaching of thy father, and forsake thou not the law of thy mother; (My son, listen thou to thy father’s teaching; and do not thou abandon thy mother’s principles;)

⁹ (so) that grace be added, either increased, to thine head, and a band to thy neck. (so that favour be added unto thee, and a band of honour be put about thy neck.)

²³ Be ye converted at my reproving (Be ye changed by my rebukes); lo, I shall bring forth to you my spirit, and I shall show (you) my words.

2 My son, if thou receivest my words, and hidest my behests with thee (and hidest my commands with thee);

² (so) that thine ear hear wisdom, bow (down) thine heart to know prudence.

³ For if thou inwardly callest (to) wisdom, and bowest thine heart to(ward) prudence;

⁴ if thou seekest it as money, and diggest it out as treasures;

⁵ then thou shalt understand the dread of the Lord, and shalt find the knowing of God. (then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord/then thou shalt understand reverence for the Lord, and shalt find the knowledge of God.)

⁶ For the Lord giveth wisdom; and prudence and knowing is of his mouth. (For the Lord giveth wisdom; and understanding and knowledge cometh from his mouth.)

² Where pride is, there also despising shall be; but where meekness is, there also is wisdom. (Where there is pride, there shall also be despising; but where there is humility, there is also wisdom.)

¹⁵ The way of a fool is rightful in his eyes; but he that is wise, heareth counsels (but he who is wise, listeneth to good advice).

13 A wise son is the teaching of the father; but he that is a scorner, heareth not, when he is reproved. (A wise son listeneth to his father’s teaching; but he who is a mocker, heareth not, when he is rebuked.)

¹⁰ Strives be ever among proud men; but they that do all things with counsel, be governed by wisdom. (There is always strife, or arguments, among the proud; but they who do all things with advice, be governed by wisdom.)

²⁰ He that goeth with wise men, shall be wise (He who goeth with the wise, shall be wise); the friend of fools shall be made like them.

⁶ A scorner seeketh wisdom, and he findeth it not (A mocker seeketh wisdom, but never findeth it); the teaching of prudent men is easy.

⁷ Go thou against a man a fool; and he shall not know the lips of prudence. (Go thou away from a foolish person; for he shall not speak words of understanding, that is, sensible words.)

⁸ The wisdom of a fell man is to understand his way; and the unwariness of fools erreth. (The wisdom of a clever person is to understand his own way; but the carelessness of fools maketh them to err.)

¹⁸ Little men of wit shall hold folly; and fell men shall abide knowing. (People of little wit, or of low intelligence, shall hold fast to foolishness; but clever people shall gain understanding.)