PROV 8:5 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) You naive people must learn to be prudent,
⇔ ≈ and you foolish people must learn to be discerning.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Νοήσατε ἄκακοι πανουργίαν, οἱ δὲ ἀπαίδευτοι ἔνθεσθε καρδίαν.
(Noaʸsate akakoi panourgian, hoi de apaideutoi enthesthe kardian. )

BrTr O ye simple, [fn]understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.

8:5 For the use of ἄκατος and πανοῦργος in this book, see Appendix.

UST You naive people must learn to be prudent.
⇔ You foolish people must learn how to be discerning.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE You simple, understand prudence!
⇔ You fools, be of an understanding heart!

WMBB (Same as above)

NET You who are naive, discern wisdom!
⇔ And you fools, understand discernment!

LSV Understand, you simple ones, prudence,
And you fools, understand the heart,

FBV If you're immature, learn how to grow up. If you're stupid, learn what makes good sense.

T4T You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment;
⇔ you foolish people, get good understanding!

LEB • Learn prudence, O simple ones; fools, learn intelligence .[fn]

8:? Literally “heart”

BBE Become expert in reason, O you simple ones; you foolish ones, take training to heart.

Moff O heedless souls, learn in- sight,
⇔ O foolish folk, learn sense!

JPS O ye thoughtless, understand prudence, and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

ASV O ye simple, understand prudence;
⇔ And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.

DRA O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.

YLT Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,

Drby O ye simple, understand prudence; and ye foolish, understand sense.

RV O ye simple, understand subtilty; and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
(Oh ye/you_all simple, understand subtlety; and, ye/you_all fools, be ye/you_all of an understanding heart. )

SLT Understand craftiness, ye simple: and ye foolish, understand the heart.

Wbstr O ye simple, understand wisdom: and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

KJB-1769 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
(Oh ye/you_all simple, understand wisdom: and, ye/you_all fools, be ye/you_all of an understanding heart. )

KJB-1611 O yee simple, vnderstand wisedome: and yee fooles, be yee of an vnderstanding heart.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Take heede vnto knowledge O ye ignoraunt, be ye wise in heart O ye fooles.
(Take heed unto knowledge Oh ye/you_all ignorant, be ye/you_all wise in heart Oh ye/you_all fools.)

Gnva O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.
(Oh ye/you_all foolish men, understand wisdom, and ye/you_all, Oh fools, be wise in heart. )

Cvdl Take hede vnto knowlege o ye ignoraut, be wyse in herte o ye fooles.
(Take heed unto knowledge o ye/you_all ignorant, be wise in heart o ye/you_all fools.)

Wycl Litle children, vndirstonde ye wisdom; and ye vnwise men, `perseyue wisdom.
(Little children, understand ye/you_all wisdom; and ye/you_all unwise men, perceive wisdom.)

Luth Merket, ihr Albernen, den Witz; und ihr Toren, nehmet es zu Herzen!
(Merket, you(pl)/their/her Foolish_one(s), the joke(n); and you(pl)/their/her goals, take it to/for heart(s)!)

ClVg Intelligite, parvuli, astutiam, et insipientes, animadvertite.[fn]
(Intelligite, little_ones, cunning, and unwise, noticedte. )

8.5 Intelligite, parvuli, etc. Manifestum est de Domino, etc., usque ad quos seducere valeat, quærit.

8.5 Intelligite, little_ones, etc. Manifestum it_is from/about Master, etc., until to which seducere valeat, seeks.

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Speaking

As children we probably heard, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Scripture presents another viewpoint: Words have the power of life and death (18:21). The words contained in lies (14:5, 25), arguments (26:17), insults (20:20), slander (10:18), gossip (11:13), rumors (18:8), flattery (7:21-22), and bragging (26:23; 27:2) can all be death-dealing.

Proverbs repeatedly emphasizes that foolish people speak foolish words. They are represented by “the woman named Folly” (9:13-18), who lies and deceives to harm her hearers. Words reflect the condition of the heart (16:23; 18:4). While someone might conceal an evil heart by using pleasant words (26:23), a person’s true character will eventually surface (26:24-26). The words of fools not only harm others; these words ultimately injure those who speak them. The tongue is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life (Jas 3:6).

In contrast, wise people speak the life-giving words represented by Wisdom (Prov 8:7-9; 10:11). Wise people use their words sparingly (17:27-28) and are usually gentle (15:4; 16:24). However, a wise person also knows the right time to speak (15:23; 25:11) and realizes that, at times, even harsh criticism is necessary (see 27:5). Proverbs wisely reminds its readers to pay close attention not only to what they say but also to how and when they say it.

Passages for Further Study

Prov 7:21-22; 8:7-9; 9:13-18; 10:11, 18; 11:13; 14:5, 25; 15:4, 23; 16:23-24; 17:28; 18:4, 21; 20:20; 25:11; 26:17, 23-26; 27:2, 5; Matt 12:33-37; Jas 3:1-12

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:1–36: Wisdom calls out to people and reminds them of the benefits of being wise

In contrast to the previous section describing the adulterous woman, this section describes personified Wisdom. The public setting for Wisdom’s speech is described in 8:1–3. In 8:4–11, she addresses all mankind and describes her own character. In 8:12–21, she provides reasons why people should choose her. Additional motivation is given in 8:22–31: Wisdom was with the LORD when he created the world. The section ends with Wisdom appealing to mankind to follow her teaching (8:32–36).

This section is a speech by personified Wisdom. As in Wisdom’s speech in 1:20–33, the Notes have used a capital letter for Wisdom in most verses. However, in her speech, Wisdom sometimes refers to “wisdom” as an ability that people have or use or should try to obtain. In some of these contexts, the Notes have used small letters for “wisdom.” The Display will often give more than one option. You may use either option in your language, depending on what is appropriate in each context.

Some other headings for this section are:

Wisdom’s Call (NIV)

Listen to Wisdom (NCV)

The good qualities of Wisdom

Wisdom’s second invitation to people

Paragraph 8:4–11

In this paragraph, personified Wisdom invites all mankind to become shrewd and intelligent (4–5). She then describes the good qualities of her words as motivation to heed her invitation (6–9). She ends with another appeal that is based on her high value (10–11).

8:5

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^5a O simple ones, learn to be shrewd;

^5b O fools, gain understanding.

8:5a

O simple ones, learn to be shrewd;

As for you^(plur) who are naive, learn how to be shrewd/clever.
You who are inexperienced, I urge you to add to your ability to make good plans.

O simple ones: In Hebrew, the word simple refers to inexperienced, naive people who allow themselves to be easily persuaded or led astray into foolish behavior.

The same word occurs in 1:4a. See simple in the Glossary.

learn to be shrewd: The word shrewd means “prudence” or “cleverness.” It refers to a person’s ability to make clever plans to achieve his goals.

See the note on 1:4a. See prudence in the Glossary.

8:5a–b

(combined/reordered)

What I say includes you^(plur) who are easily deceived and are too lazy to use your minds. I urge you to become shrewd and to learn how to think.

8:5b

O fools, gain understanding.

You^(plur) who are complacent fools who are too lazy to think, start to become intelligent.

O fools: This word for fools refers to people who do what is stupid and wrong because they are mentally lazy and complacent. They do not see the need to change their own foolish behavior.

The same word occurs in 1:22c. See fool 2 in the Glossary.

gain understanding: The clause that the BSB translates as gain understanding is literally “understand heart.” It means to acquire intelligence. Another way to translate this is:

Learn how to think.

General Comment on 8:5a–b

In some languages, it may be necessary to combine and/or reorder the parallel lines to avoid the impression that the “simple” and the “foolish” are distinct groups of people who are asked to gain different things. See the Display for 8:5a–b (combined/reordered) for one way to do this.