Proverbs 4
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- אַלʼalH40810× in this chapter
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
- כִּיkîyH35888× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- לֹאlôʼH38086× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- בֵּןbênH11214× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- דֶּרֶךְderekH18704× in this chapter
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
- חַיchayH24164× in this chapter
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
- חׇכְמָהchokmâhH24514× in this chapter
wisdom (in a good sense)
- כֹּלkôlH36054× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- קָנָהqânâhH70694× in this chapter
to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to own
- כָּשַׁלkâshalH37823× in this chapter
to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall
- מִןminH44803× in this chapter
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
- אִםʼimH5183× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
- נָטָהnâṭâhH51863× in this chapter
to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application
- נָצַרnâtsarH53413× in this chapter
to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal, etc.)
- אֵמֶרʼêmerH5613× in this chapter
something said
- שָׁמַרshâmarH81043× in this chapter
properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
- בִּינָהbîynâhH9983× in this chapter
understanding
- אָבʼâbH12× in this chapter
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
- דָּבָרdâbârH16972× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- הָלַךְhâlakH19802× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30452× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- יָרָהyârâhH33842× in this chapter
properly, to flow as water (i.e. to rain); transitively, to lay or throw (especially an arrow, i.e. to shoot); figuratively, to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to teach
- כּוּןkûwnH35592× in this chapter
properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)
- לֵבlêbH38202× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- מוּסָרmûwçârH41482× in this chapter
properly, chastisement; figuratively, reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint
- מַעְגָּלmaʻgâlH45702× in this chapter
a track (literally or figuratively); also a rampart (as circular)
- נָתַןnâthanH54142× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- סוּרçûwrH54932× in this chapter
to turn off (literal or figurative)
- עָבַרʻâbarH56742× in this chapter
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
- עָזַבʻâzabH58002× in this chapter
to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.
- עַיִןʻayinH58692× in this chapter
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
- פֶּהpehH63102× in this chapter
the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to
- קָשַׁבqâshabH71812× in this chapter
to prick up the ears, i.e. hearken
- רֶגֶלregelH72722× in this chapter
a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda
- אֹרַחʼôrachH7342× in this chapter
a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively); also a caravan
- רַעraʻH74512× in this chapter
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
- רָשָׁעrâshâʻH75632× in this chapter
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
- שָׁמַעshâmaʻH80852× in this chapter
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
- בָּשָׂרbâsârH13201× in this chapter
flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman
- גָּזַלgâzalH14971× in this chapter
to pluck off; specifically to flay, strip or rob