Proverbs 4:1-11

A Father's Wise Instruction

1 1Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may 2gain[a] insight,
2 for I give you good 3precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father, 4tender, 5the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he 6taught me and said to me, 7"Let your heart hold fast my words; 8keep my commandments, and live.
5 9Get wisdom; get 10insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; 11love her, and she will guard you.
7 12The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get 13insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will 14honor you 15if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head 16a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."
10 17Hear, 18my son, and accept my words, that 19the years of your life may be many.
11 I have 20taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

Proverbs 4:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 4

In this chapter Solomon advises to seek after wisdom, to avoid bad company, and to continue in the right paths of goodness and truth: he excites attention to what he had to say, from the relation he stood in to the persons addressed; from the nature of his instructions, which were good and profitable; and from his own example, in attending to those his parents gave him, Pr 4:1-4; He exhorts above all things to get wisdom, from the superior excellency of it, and from the preservation, promotion, and honour, to be had by it, Pr 4:5-9; and he further enforces big exhortations, from their being the means of a comfortable life, and of the prolongation of it, and of leading in a right way without straitness or stumbling, Pr 4:10-13. And then proceeds to caution against bad company, and going into a bad way of life; which is enforced from the mischief done by those that walk in it, and from the darkness of it, to which the path of the just is opposed, Pr 4:14-19. And the exhortation to attend to and observe his instructions, and keep them, is repeated, from the consideration of their being life and health to them, Pr 4:20-22; and that they might be preserved, and not departed from, direction's are given about ordering the heart, mouth, lips, eyes, and feet, Pr 4:23-27.

Cross References 20

  • 1. Proverbs 1:8; [Proverbs 5:7; Proverbs 7:24; Proverbs 8:33; Psalms 34:11]
  • 2. Proverbs 2:2
  • 3. Job 11:4
  • 4. See 1 Chronicles 22:5
  • 5. Zechariah 12:10
  • 6. 1 Chronicles 28:9; [Ephesians 6:4]
  • 7. [Proverbs 3:1]
  • 8. Proverbs 7:2; Leviticus 18:5; Isaiah 55:3
  • 9. Proverbs 2:2
  • 10. [See ver. 1 above]
  • 11. [2 Thessalonians 2:10]
  • 12. [Proverbs 1:7]
  • 13. [See ver. 1 above]
  • 14. 1 Samuel 2:30
  • 15. [Song of Songs 2:6]
  • 16. Proverbs 1:9
  • 17. [See ver. 1 above]
  • 18. Proverbs 2:1
  • 19. See Proverbs 3:2
  • 20. See 1 Samuel 12:23

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.