Proverbs 4:1-7 in English

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.

¹ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

² For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law.

³ For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother:

⁴ who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep our commandments, forget them not:

⁵ and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.

⁶ And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee.

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.

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.

¹ Hear, you° children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

² For I give you a good gift; forsake you° not my law.

³ For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother:

⁴ who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep our commandments, forget them not:

⁵ and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.

⁶ And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.

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 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: yea, with all thou hast gotten get understanding.

¹ My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.

² What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.

³ When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,

⁴ my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live a long time.

⁵ Obtain wisdom and understanding, and ◄do not abandon/hold fast to► LIT what I have taught you.

⁶ Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected from all evil/danger. If you love wisdom, wisdom PRS will guard you.

⁷ The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.

¹ Hear, you° children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

² For I give you a good gift; forsake you° not my law.

³ For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother:

⁴ who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep our commandments, forget them not:

⁵ and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.

⁶ And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

² for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

³ For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

² for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

³ For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

² for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

³ For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

¹ Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:

² For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.

³ For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.

⁴ And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:

⁵ Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.

⁷ The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.

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.

¹ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence.

² I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.

³ For I also was my father’s son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother:

⁴ And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.

⁵ Get wisdom, get prudence: forget 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, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,

² for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.

³ When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—

⁴ he was the one who taught me. He told me, “Pay attention to the words I say and keep them in mind; do what I tell you and you will live.

⁵ Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.

⁶ Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.

⁷ The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.

¹ Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.

² For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.

³ For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother,

⁴ When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.

⁵ Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.

⁷ Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.

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 teaching.

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 hold fast 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 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

¹ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding.

² For I give you good doctrine, Forsake you 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.

¹ Hear, ye children, the correction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

² For good information do I give you: my teaching must ye not forsake.

³ For I was a son unto my father, a tender and an only child before my mother.

⁴ And he instructed me, and said unto me, Let thy heart grasp firmly my words: observe my commandments and live.

⁵ Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding: forget not, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake her not, and she will watch over thee: love her, and she will keep thee.

⁷ The beginning of wisdom is, Acquire wisdom: and with all thy acquisition acquire understanding.

¹ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding.

² For I give you a good gift; Forsake ye not my law.

³ For I also was a son obedient to my father, And loved in the sight of my mother:

⁴ Who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in thy heart, Keep our commandments, forget them not:

⁵ And do not neglect the speech of my mouth.

⁶ And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: Love it, and it shall keep thee.

¹ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend, that ye may learn understanding!

² For I give you good instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.

³ For I was my father's son, A tender and only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, and depart not from, the words of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake her not, and she will guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.

⁷ Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.

¹ Sh'ma ·Hear obey·, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

² for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my Torah ·Teaching·.

³ For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my mitzvot ·instructions·, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. 'Ahav ·Affectionately love· her, and she will keep you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.

² I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.

³ When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,

⁴ he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.

⁵ Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;

⁶ do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.

⁷ Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

² for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

³ For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

² for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

³ For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

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 to me, Let thy 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.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

² for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

³ For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

¹ Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

² for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

³ For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴ He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

¹ Sons, hear ye the teaching of your father; and perceive ye, that ye know prudence.

² I shall give to you a good gift; forsake ye not my law.

³ For why and I was the son of my father, a tender son, and one begotten, before my mother.

⁴ And my father taught me, and said, Thine heart receive my words; keep thou my behests, and thou shalt live.

⁵ Wield thou wisdom, wield thou prudence; forget thou not, neither bow thou away from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake thou not it, and it shall keep thee; love thou it, and it shall keep thee.

⁷ The beginning of wisdom, wield thou wisdom; and in all thy possession, get thou prudence.

¹ Sons, hear ye the teaching of your father; and perceive ye (or and understand ye), (so) that ye know prudence.

² I shall give to you a good gift; forsake ye not my law. (I give you a good gift; do not ye abandon my instructions.)

³ For why and I was the son of my father, a tender son, and one begotten, before my mother. (For I was my father’s son, a tender son, and my mother’s only child.)

⁴ And my father taught me, and said, Thine heart receive my words; keep thou my behests (or obey my commands), and thou shalt live.

⁵ Wield thou wisdom, wield thou prudence; forget thou not, neither bow thou away from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake thou not it, and it shall keep thee (safe); love thou it, and it shall keep thee (safe).

⁷ The beginning of wisdom, wield thou wisdom; and in all thy possession, get thou prudence. (The beginning of wisdom, is that thou first obtain wisdom; and among all thy possessions, of greatest importance is that thou get understanding.)

¹ Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.

² For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.

³ For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before my mother.

⁴ And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.

⁷ The first thing is wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.