15:5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline,
but whoever heeds reproof shows good sense. 1
15:31 The person 2 who hears the reproof that leads to life 3
is at home 4 among the wise. 5
15:32 The one who refuses correction despises himself, 6
but whoever hears 7 reproof acquires understanding. 8
1 tn Heb “is prudent” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NCV, NLT “is wise.” Anyone who accepts correction or rebuke will become prudent in life.
2 tn Heb “ear” (so KJV, NRSV). The term “ear” is a synecdoche of part (= ear) for the whole (= person).
3 tn “Life” is an objective genitive: Reproof brings or preserves life. Cf. NIV “life-giving rebuke”; NLT “constructive criticism.”
4 tn Heb “lodges.” This means to live with, to be at home with.
5 sn The proverb is one full sentence; it affirms that a teachable person is among the wise.
6 sn To “despise oneself” means to reject oneself as if there was little value. The one who ignores discipline is not interested in improving himself.
7 tn Or “heeds” (so NAB, NIV); NASB “listens to.”
8 tn The Hebrew text reads קוֹנֶה לֵּב (qoneh lev), the participle of קָנָה (qanah, “to acquire; to possess”) with its object, “heart.” The word “heart” is frequently a metonymy of subject, meaning all the capacities of the human spirit and/or mind. Here it refers to the ability to make judgments or discernment.