A Wise Man Will Hear

A Wise Man

A wise, or chakam (khaw-kawm’), man, a skillful and shrewd man, will hear, or shama (shaw-mah’), he will listen to, give attention to, and obey these sayings. And he will add to and increase the insight he already has.

So, it does not matter on what level of understanding we are, whether we are a novice or one who has already gained wisdom, all can benefit from the pursuit of wisdom. A learned one will increase his wisdom.

Buy and Possess Counsel

And a man of understanding, a man of consideration and discernment, shall attain, or qanah (kaw-naw), shall acquire, buy, and possess wise counsels, or tachbulah (takh-boo-law'), good advice and guidance. A benefit of pursuing the wisdom available through the proverbs is to have an increase in insight, and to gain good advice and wise counsel.

A Taunting Poem

A wise man shall hear and gain enough insight and shall increase in wise counsels enough to understand or get the meaning of a proverb and its interpretation, or m@liytsah (mel-ee-tsaw'), its mocking song, its taunting poem, or simply its taunting. That's what this word "interpretation" literally means in the Hebrew.

A taunt is a remark designed to anger, provoke or challenge. This verse seemingly compares a proverb to a mocking song or a taunting poem. It taunts us, it provokes us to gain understanding of it. Such is the pursuit of wisdom and correction. We seek correction though we may not like it when we find it, because it rebukes us. And the wisdom we pursue taunts us to uncover it.

The Fear of the LORD

The fear of the LORD is the beginning, the re'shiyth (ray-sheeth), the chief part of the choice part of knowledge, or da`ath (dah'-ath), perception or discernment. The biggest part of gaining wisdom and discernment is having a reverence for the LORD. It begins there. Turning to the LORD is where wisdom and knowledge begin. So, this wisdom is a wisdom that can only come by knowing God. It is therefore a divine wisdom, a wisdom that comes from above.

Fools Despise Wisdom

A wise man will hear, but a fool despises wisdom and instruction. The word here translated as “fools“ is the Hebrew word ev'iyl (ev-eel'), which means one who despises wisdom, mocks when guilty, one who is quarrelsome, and one who is licentious. It means a foolish man. A fool is often argumentative and opinionated. He mocks when his guilt is exposed. He considers the pursuit of wisdom to be a vain endeavor, and he readily enjoys the pleasures of sin. He will not take time to hear the sayings of wisdom, lest his foolishness be rebuked. And he is ultimately destined for failure and destruction.