Amsal 14:16

14:16 A wise person is cautious ¹  and turns from evil,

but a fool throws off restraint ²  and is overconfident. ³ 

Amsal 15:32

15:32 The one who refuses correction despises himself, ⁴ 

but whoever hears ⁵  reproof acquires understanding. ⁶ 

[14:16]  ¹ tn Heb “fears.” Since the holy name (Yahweh, translated “the Lord”) is not used, it probably does not here mean fear of the Lord, but of the consequences of actions.

[14:16]  ² tn The Hitpael of עָבַר (’avar, “to pass over”) means “to pass over the bounds of propriety; to act insolently” (BDB 720 s.v.; cf. ASV “beareth himself insolently”).

[14:16]  ³ tn The verb בָּטַח here denotes self-assurance or overconfidence. Fools are not cautious and do not fear the consequences of their actions.

[15:32]  ⁴ 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.

[15:32]  ⁵ tn Or “heeds” (so NAB, NIV); NASB “listens to.”

[15:32]  ⁶ 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.