“Give instruction to a wise man, and he . . . still wiser”: As the Revised Standard Version footnote shows, the Hebrew text lacks the word “instruction”. The text says “give to a wise man,” which Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates as “B” and suggests two expressions to translate it: “Give to the wise man [person]” or “Give the wise man [person] an opportunity.” Many languages have difficulty with the first, as there is no object expressed. The second expresses “opportunity” as the thing that is given. This may be ambiguous, but it is workable in some languages.

The failure of the text to carry the word “instruction” (or something equivalent) may simply be an example of ellipsis, the omission of a word or phrase necessary for the complete structure of the sentence but not for the meaning. If this is the case, we are not dealing here with a textual problem. Bible en français courant says, “What you say to a wise person increases his wisdom.” See Good News Translation. We may also say, for example, “Teach a wise person and that person will be yet wiser” or “If you teach. . ., that person will. . ..”

“Teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning”: This line is very similar in meaning to line 1. “Teach” matches “give instruction” in the first line. “Righteous man” or “righteous person” is an upright, honest person for whom “the fear of the Lord” in verse 10 is the basis of wisdom. In 12.26 the “righteous” person is defined as someone who “turns away from evil.” The wise person and the upright person are equated in these lines. “Increase in learning” means “he will add to his knowledge” or “he will learn even more.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .