Proverbs 4:4-14

4 Then he ¹taught me and said to me, "Let your heart ²hold fast my words; ³Keep my commandments and live;

5 ⁴Acquire wisdom! ⁵Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

6 "Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; ⁶Love her, and she will watch over you.

7 "⁷The beginning of wisdom is: ⁸Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.

8 "⁹Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her.

9 "She will place ¹⁰on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty."

10 Hear, my son, and ¹¹accept my sayings And the ¹²years of your life will be many.

11 I have ¹³directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.

12 When you walk, your ¹⁴steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you ¹⁵will not stumble.

13 ¹⁶Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your ¹⁷life.

14 ¹⁸Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

Proverbs 4:4-14 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

• 1. Ephesians 6:4
• 2. Psalms 119:168
• 3. Proverbs 7:2
• 4. Proverbs 4:7
• 5. Proverbs 16:16
• 6. 2 Thessalonians 2:10
• 7. Proverbs 8:23
• 8. Proverbs 23:23
• 9. 1 Samuel 2:30
• 10. Proverbs 1:9
• 11. Proverbs 2:1
• 12. Proverbs 3:2
• 13. 1 Samuel 12:23
• 14. Job 18:7; Psalms 18:36
• 15. Psalms 91:11; Proverbs 3:23
• 16. Proverbs 3:18
• 17. Proverbs 3:22; John 6:63
• 18. Psalms 1:1; Proverbs 1:15

Footnotes

• [a] Or "the primary thing is wisdom"