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 or 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.)
10 My son, if sinners flatter thee, assent thou not to them.
11 If they say, Come thou with us, set we ambush to shed (out) blood, hide we snares of deceits against an innocent (person) without cause;
12 swallow we him, as hell swalloweth a man living; and all-whole, as (those) going down into a pit; (we shall swallow him up, like Sheol swalloweth up the living; yea, all-whole, like those going down into the pit;)
13 we shall find all precious chattel, (or possessions), we shall fill our houses with spoils;
14 put thou lot with us, one purse be there of us all; (put thou thy lot with us, and let there be one purse for us all;)
15 my son, go thou not with them; forbid thy foot from the paths of them (or do not let thy foot go onto their paths).
16 For the feet of them run to evil; and they hasten to shed out blood.
17 But a net is laid in vain before the eyes of birds, that have wings.
18 Also they set ambush against their own blood; and make ready frauds, or guiles, against their (own) souls.
19 So the paths of each avaricious man ravish, or take away, the souls of them that wield (them).
20 Wisdom preacheth withoutforth; in streets it giveth his voice. (Wisdom preacheth outside; yea, it raiseth up its voice in the streets.)
21 It crieth oft in the head of companies; in the leaves of the gates of the city it bringeth forth his words, and saith, (It crieth often at the tops of the streets; and at the leaves of the gates of the city, it bringeth forth its words, and saith,)
22 How long, little men in wit, love young childhood, and fools shall covet those things, that be harmful to themselves, and unprudent men shall hate knowing? (How long, ye of little wit, or of low intelligence, shall ye love foolishness, and shall fools desire those things that be harmful to themselves, and shall the imprudent hate knowledge, or understanding?)
23 Be ye converted at my reproving (or Be ye changed by my rebukes); lo, I shall bring forth to you my spirit, and I shall show (you) my words.