Proverbs 8:3

8:3 beside the gates opening into ¹  the city,

at the entrance of the doorways she cries out: ² 

Proverbs 8:5

8:5 You who are naive, discern ³  wisdom!

And you fools, understand discernment! ⁴ 

[8:3]  ¹ tn Heb “at the mouth of.”

[8:3]  ² tn The cry is a very loud ringing cry that could not be missed. The term רָנַן (ranan) means “to give a ringing cry.” It is often only a shrill sound that might come with a victory in battle, but its use in the psalms for praise shows that it also can have clear verbal content, as it does here. For wisdom to stand in the street and give such a ringing cry would mean that it could be heard by all. It was a proclamation.

[8:5]  ³ tn The imperative of בִּין (bin) means “to understand; to discern.” The call is for the simple to understand what wisdom is, not just to gain it.

[8:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “heart.” The noun לֵב (lev, “heart”) often functions metonymically for wisdom, understanding, discernment.