The Meaning of Proverbs 1:5 Explained

Proverbs 1:5

KJV: A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

YLT: (The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)

Darby: He that is wise will hear, and will increase learning; and the intelligent will gain wise counsels:

ASV: That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

A wise  [man] will hear,  and will increase  learning;  and a man of understanding  shall attain  unto wise counsels: 

What does Proverbs 1:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 1:1-19 - "the Beginning Of Knowledge"
Notice the perfect balance of each clause, and the duplication of the one thought in the two clauses of each verse.
Wisdom as used in this book is more than intellectual learning or cleverness. It represents a moral quality, the result of a pure and a true life. We are conscious that many simple-minded people, who have little enough book-learning, are remarkable for sagacious advice, insight into character, the wise reading of events, an intuitive knowledge-all based on the fear of God. The headlines of Scotch copy-books used to be taken from this book. Certain it is that the young who ponder and practice these maxims can hardly fail of a successful career. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 1

1  The use of the proverbs
7  An exhortation to fear God, and believe his word
10  to avoid the enticing of sinners
20  Wisdom complains of her contempt
24  She threatens her contemners

What do the individual words in Proverbs 1:5 mean?

Will hear a wise [man] and increase learning and a man of understanding wise counsel will attain
יִשְׁמַ֣ע חָ֭כָם וְי֣וֹסֶף לֶ֑קַח וְ֝נָב֗וֹן תַּחְבֻּל֥וֹת יִקְנֶֽה

יִשְׁמַ֣ע  Will  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
חָ֭כָם  a  wise  [man] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
וְי֣וֹסֶף  and  increase 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
לֶ֑קַח  learning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶקַח  
Sense: learning, teaching, insight.
וְ֝נָב֗וֹן  and  a  man  of  understanding 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
תַּחְבֻּל֥וֹת  wise  counsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: תַּחְבֻּלֹות  
Sense: direction, counsel, guidance, good advice, (wise) counsel.
יִקְנֶֽה  will  attain 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָנָה 
Sense: to get, acquire, create, buy, possess.