Proverbs 4:4 he taught me and said, "Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.

◄ Proverbs 4:4 ►

New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.

English Standard Version
he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.

Berean Standard Bible
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.

King James Bible
He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

New King James Version
He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.

New American Standard Bible
He taught me and said to me, “Let your heart take hold of my words; Keep my commandments and live;

NASB 1995
Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live;

NASB 1977
Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live;

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he instructed me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live;

Amplified Bible
He taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live.

Christian Standard Bible
he taught me and said, “Your heart must hold on to my words. Keep my commands and live.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
he taught me and said:” Your heart must hold on to my words. Keep my commands and live.

American Standard Version
And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;

Contemporary English Version
said to me: "If you follow my teachings and keep them in mind, you will live.

English Revised Version
And he taught me, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words; keep my commandments, and live:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
they used to teach me and say to me, "Cling to my words wholeheartedly. Obey my commands so that you may live.

Good News Translation
my father would teach me. He would say, "Remember what I say and never forget it. Do as I tell you, and you will live.

International Standard Version
he taught me and told me, "Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say; keep my commandments and live!

Majority Standard Bible
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.

NET Bible
he taught me, and he said to me: "Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live.

New Heart English Bible
He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

Webster's Bible Translation
He taught me also, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

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

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And he directs me, and he says to me: “Let your heart retain my words, "" Keep my commands, and live.

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

Smith's Literal Translation
And he taught me, and he will say to me, Thy heart shall hold fast my words: watch my commands and live.

Catholic Translations

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

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.

New American Bible
He taught me and said to me: “Let your heart hold fast my words: keep my commands, and live!

New Revised Standard Version
he taught me, and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
He taught me, and said to me, Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live; and let my law be as the pupil of the eye.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he taught me and said to me, "Confirm my word in your heart; keep my commandments and live, and my law like the pupils of the eyes.”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, Keep my commandments, and live;

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

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

A Father's Instruction
…3When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, 4he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. 5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Deuteronomy 6:6-7
These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. / And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Psalm 119:11
I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.

Matthew 22:37
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.

Psalm 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.

2 Timothy 3:14-15
But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them. / From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Psalm 1:2
But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.

James 1:22
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. / Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

1 John 2:3-5
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. / If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. / But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Treasury of Scripture

He taught me also, and said to me, Let your heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Genesis 18:19
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

1 Chronicles 22:11-16
Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee…

Let

Proverbs 3:1
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

Deuteronomy 4:9
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;

Deuteronomy 6:6
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

keep

Proverbs 7:2
Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

Leviticus 18:3-5
After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances…

Isaiah 55:3
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

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Proverbs 4

1. persuades to wisdom
14. and to show wickedness
20. He exhorts to sanctification

Berean Study Bible

He taught me
This phrase indicates a personal and intimate transmission of wisdom from a father to a son. In the Hebrew context, the word "taught" (לִמַּד, limmad) implies not just the impartation of knowledge but also the shaping of character and behavior. The father-son relationship is central in Hebrew culture, emphasizing the importance of generational wisdom. This teaching is not merely academic but is intended to guide the son in living a righteous life.

and said
The act of speaking here (אָמַר, amar) is significant. In the biblical context, words are powerful and carry authority. The father’s words are not casual; they are deliberate and meant to be heeded. This reflects the biblical understanding that spoken words can shape reality and influence the heart and mind of the listener.

“Let your heart
The heart (לֵב, lev) in Hebrew thought is the center of one's being, encompassing mind, will, and emotions. It is not just the seat of emotions but also the source of thoughts and decisions. The father’s instruction to let the heart be involved underscores the importance of internalizing wisdom, making it a part of one's very essence.

lay hold of my words
To "lay hold of" (תָּמַךְ, tamak) suggests a firm grasp or strong adherence. This implies an active effort to retain and apply the teachings. The words of the father are not to be passively received but actively embraced and integrated into daily life. This reflects the biblical principle that wisdom must be actively pursued and maintained.

keep my commandments
The word "keep" (שָׁמַר, shamar) means to guard, protect, or observe. It suggests vigilance and careful attention. The commandments are not merely rules but are seen as life-giving instructions that require careful observance. This aligns with the biblical view that obedience to God’s commandments leads to blessing and life.

and you will live
The promise of life (חָיָה, chayah) is both literal and metaphorical. In the biblical sense, life is not just physical existence but a state of well-being, prosperity, and spiritual vitality. The assurance of life is a common theme in Proverbs, emphasizing that adherence to wisdom and divine commandments leads to a flourishing life. This reflects the covenantal promise that obedience to God results in life and blessing.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) He taught me also.--Comp. David's advice to Solomon (l Chron. 28:9, 10).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - From this verse to ver. 19 inclusive, the teacher quotes the instruction which he had received of his father. His object in doing so is to show that his own teaching was in harmony with it, and therefore worthy of attention. His precepts, admonitions, and warnings are not his only, but those of his father. Other examples of David's instructions to Solomon are found in 1 Kings 2:2; 1 Chronicles 22:12, 13; 1 Chronicles 28:9. And he taught; i.e. his father, for vayyoreni is masculine. The LXX. renders, "They said and taught me (οι{ ἔλεγον καὶ ἐδιδασκόν με)," as if the precepts which follow were the combined teaching of David and Bathsheba. This variation is due to the mention of both parents in the preceding verse. Retain; yith'mok, kal future, used imperatively, of thamak, "to take hold of," and metaphorically, as here, "to hold fast" (see Proverbs 3:18). The LXX. Renders ἐρειδέτω, imperative of ἐρείδω, "to fix firm." Symmachus has κατεχέτω, "give heed to." And live; i.e. and thou shalt live, as the kal imperative, kh'yeh, from khayah, "to live," has here the force of the future (cf. Vulgate, et vives). The meaning is, "And thou shalt enjoy a long and happy life." Temporal life alone seems to be indicated, as in ver. 10 (cf. Proverbs 3:2). The Syriac addition, "And my law as the apple of thine eye," is probably borrowed from Proverbs 7:2, where we meet with the mine admonition.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

he taught
וַיֹּרֵ֗נִי (way·yō·rê·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 3384: To flow as water, to lay, throw, to point out, to teach

me and said,
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Let your heart
לִבֶּ֑ךָ (lib·be·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

lay hold
יִֽתְמָךְ־ (yiṯ·māḵ-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8551: To sustain, to obtain, keep fast, to help, follow close

of my words;
דְּבָרַ֥י (də·ḇā·ray)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

keep
שְׁמֹ֖ר (šə·mōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

my commandments
מִצְוֺתַ֣י (miṣ·wō·ṯay)
Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4687: Commandment

and you will live.
וֶֽחְיֵֽה׃ (weḥ·yêh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

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OT Poetry: Proverbs 4:4 He taught me and said to me: (Prov. Pro Pr)