Proverbs 4:1–8
4 Hear, amy children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
bTender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 cHe also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
dKeep my commands, and live.
5 eGet wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
fLove her, and she will keep you.
7 gWisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 hExalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — The New International Version (NIV)
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — English Standard Version (ESV)
1 Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2 for I give you good precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom; get insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father,
And attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine,
Forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was my father’s son,
Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me,
Let thine heart retain my words:
Keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding:
Forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee:
Love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:
And with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee:
She shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — New Living Translation (NLT)
1 My children, listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
2 for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
3 For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
4 My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
8 If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — New Century Version (NCV)
1 My children, listen to your father’s teaching;
pay attention so you will understand.
2 What I am telling you is good,
so do not forget what I teach you.
3 When I was a young boy in my father’s house
and like an only child to my mother,
4 my father taught me and said,
“Hold on to my words with all your heart.
Keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom and understanding.
Don’t forget or ignore my words.
6 Hold on to wisdom, and it will take care of you.
Love it, and it will keep you safe.
7 Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom.
If it costs everything you have, get understanding.
8 Treasure wisdom, and it will make you great;
hold on to it, and it will bring you honor.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — American Standard Version (ASV)
1 Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father,
And attend to know understanding:
2 For I give you good doctrine;
Forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was a son unto my father,
Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 And he taught me, and said unto me:
Let thy heart retain my words;
Keep my commandments, and live;
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee;
Love her, and she will keep thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom;
Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee;
She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know intelligence; 2 for I give you good doctrine: forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother. 4 And he taught me, and said unto me, Let thy heart retain my words; keep my commandments and live. 5 Get wisdom, get intelligence: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee; love her, and she shall preserve thee. 7 The beginning of wisdom is, Get wisdom; and with all thy getting get intelligence. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
1 Sons,
listen to ⸤your⸥ father’s discipline,
and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
2 After all, I have taught you well.
Do not abandon my teachings.
3 When I was a boy ⸤learning⸥ from my father,
when I was a tender and only child of my mother,
4 they used to teach me and say to me,
“Cling to my words wholeheartedly.
Obey my commands so that you may live.
5 Acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding.
Do not forget.
Do not turn away from the words that I have spoken.
6 Do not abandon wisdom, and it will watch over you.
Love wisdom, and it will protect you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding with all that you have.
8 Cherish wisdom.
It will raise you up.
It will bring you honor when you embrace it.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline,
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
2 for I am giving you good instruction.
Don’t abandon my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender and precious to my mother,
4 he taught me and said:
“Your heart must hold on to my words.
Keep my commands and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7 Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1 Listen, children, to a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight;
2 for I give you good precepts:
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender, and my mother’s favorite,
4 he taught me, and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away
from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever else you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
1 Children, listen to the instruction of a father,
and be attentive in order to know insight.
2 For I have given you good instruction;
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son to my father,
tender and alone before my mother,
4 he taught me and said to me,
“May your heart hold fast to my words;
guard my commandments and live.
5 Get wisdom and insight;
do not forget and do not turn from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her—then she will guard you;
love her and she will keep you.
7 The beginning of wisdom: Get wisdom!
With all that is in your possession, gain insight.
8 Cherish her and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
1 My children, listen to a father’s teaching.
Pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you good advice.
So don’t turn away from what I teach you.
3 I was once a young boy in my father’s house.
I was my mother’s only child.
4 My father taught me.
He said, “Hold on to my words with all your heart.
Keep my commands. Then you will live.
5 Get wisdom. Get understanding.
Don’t forget my words. Don’t turn away from them.
6 Stay close to wisdom, and she will keep you safe.
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is best. So get wisdom.
No matter what it costs, get understanding.
8 Value wisdom, and she will lift you up.
Hold her close, and she will honor you.
Proverbs 4:1–8 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,
2 For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,
4 Then he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live;
5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.