Proverbs 8:5
New International Version
You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.

New Living Translation
You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.

English Standard Version
O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.

Berean Standard Bible
O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.

King James Bible
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

New King James Version
O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

New American Standard Bible
“You naive ones, understand prudence; And, you fools, understand wisdom!

NASB 1995
“O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom.

NASB 1977
“O naive ones, discern prudence; And, O fools, discern wisdom.

Legacy Standard Bible
O simple ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand a heart of wisdom.

Amplified Bible
“O you naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled], understand prudence and seek astute common sense; And, O you [closed-minded, self-confident] fools, understand wisdom [seek the insight and self-discipline that leads to godly living].

Christian Standard Bible
Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.

American Standard Version
O ye simple, understand prudence; And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
That children may understand subtlety and the feeble minds may know in their heart.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.

Contemporary English Version
Good sense and sound judgment can be yours.

Douay-Rheims Bible
O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.

English Revised Version
O ye simple, understand subtilty; and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You gullible people, learn how to be sensible. You fools, get a heart that has understanding.

Good News Translation
Are you immature? Learn to be mature. Are you foolish? Learn to have sense.

International Standard Version
Understand prudence, you na�ve people; and gain an understanding heart, you foolish ones.

JPS Tanakh 1917
O ye thoughtless, understand prudence, And, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Literal Standard Version
Understand, you simple ones, prudence, | And you fools, understand the heart,

Majority Standard Bible
O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding.

New American Bible
You naive ones, gain prudence, you fools, gain sense.

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

New Revised Standard Version
O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it.

New Heart English Bible
You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

Webster's Bible Translation
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

World English Bible
You simple, understand prudence! You fools, be of an understanding heart!

Young's Literal Translation
Understand, ye simple ones, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Excellence of Wisdom
4“To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men. 5O simple ones, learn to be shrewd; O fools, gain understanding. 6Listen, for I speak of noble things, and the opening of my lips will reveal right.…

Cross References
Proverbs 1:4
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,

Proverbs 1:22
"How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?

Proverbs 1:32
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

Proverbs 3:35
The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.

Proverbs 8:4
"To you, O men, I call out, and my cry is to the sons of men.

Proverbs 8:12
I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

Proverbs 9:4
"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" she says to him who lacks judgment.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Proverbs 1:22
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Proverbs 9:4
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

Psalm 19:7
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

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Proverbs 8
1. the fame
6. and evidence of wisdom
10. The excellence
12. the nature
15. the power
18. the riches
22. and the eternity of wisdom
32. Wisdom is to be desired for the blessedness it brings














(5) O ye simple.--See above on Proverbs 1:4 for an explanation of "simple," as also of "wisdom" ('ormah) there translated "subtilty."

Ye fools.--(khesilim), see above on Proverbs 1:22.

Verse 5. - O ye simple, understand wisdom. "The simple," those not yet perverted, but easily influenced for good or evil. See on Proverbs 1:4, where also is explained the word ormah, used here for "wisdom;" equivalent to calliditas in a good sense, or πανουργία, as sometimes employed in the Septuagint; so here: νοήσατε ἄκακοι πανουργίαν, "subtlety." Ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. For "fools" (khesilim), the intellectually heavy and dull, see on Proverbs 1:22. The heart is considered the seat of the mind or understanding (comp. Proverbs 15:32; Proverbs 17:16, etc.). Septuagint, "Ye that are untaught, take in heart (ἔνθεσθε καρδίαν)." The call thus addressed to various classes of parsons is like the section in 1 John 2, "I write unto you. little children," etc.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
O you simple,
פְתָאיִ֣ם (p̄ə·ṯā·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6612: Simple, perhaps open-minded

learn
הָבִ֣ינוּ (hā·ḇî·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand

to be shrewd,
עָרְמָ֑ה (‘ā·rə·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6195: Trickery, discretion

and you foolish,
וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים (ū·ḵə·sî·lîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool

gain understanding.
הָבִ֥ינוּ (hā·ḇî·nū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 8:5 You simple understand prudence (Prov. Pro Pr)
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