Proverbs

Proverbs 4:1–4

¹Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;

pay attention and gain understanding.

²For I give you sound teaching;

do not abandon my directive.

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.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Listen	שִׁמְע֣וּ	šim·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H8085 hear
my sons	בָ֭נִים	ḇā·nîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1121 son
to a father’s	אָ֑ב	’āḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H1 father
instruction	מ֣וּסַר	mū·sar	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4148 discipline
pay attention	וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ	wə·haq·šî·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural	H7181 incline, attend
and gain	לָדַ֥עַת	lā·ḏa·‘aṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3045 know
understanding	בִּינָֽה׃	bî·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H998 understanding

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I give	נָתַ֣תִּי	nā·ṯat·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H5414 give, put, set
you	לָכֶ֑ם	lā·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural
sound	ט֭וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
teaching	לֶ֣קַח	le·qaḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H3948 learning, teaching
do not	אַֽל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
abandon	תַּעֲזֹֽבוּ׃	ta·‘ă·zō·ḇū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
my directive	תּֽ֝וֹרָתִ֗י	tō·w·rā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8451 direction, instruction, law

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I was	הָיִ֣יתִי	hā·yî·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a son	בֵ֭ן	ḇên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
to my father	לְאָבִ֑י	lə·’ā·ḇî	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1 father
tender	רַ֥ךְ	raḵ	Adjective - masculine singular	H7390 tender, delicate, soft
and the only child	וְ֝יָחִ֗יד	wə·yā·ḥîḏ	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H3173 only one, solitary
of	לִפְנֵ֥י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
my mother	אִמִּֽי׃	’im·mî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H517 mother

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
he taught	וַיֹּרֵ֗נִי	way·yō·rê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H3384 throw, shoot
me	לִ֗י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
and said	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Let your heart	לִבֶּ֑ךָ	lib·be·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
lay hold	יִֽתְמָךְ־	yiṯ·māḵ-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8551 grasp, support, attain
of my words	דְּבָרַ֥י	də·ḇā·ray	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H1697 speech, word
keep	שְׁמֹ֖ר	šə·mōr	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
my commands	מִצְוֺתַ֣י	miṣ·wō·ṯay	Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common singular	H4687 commandment
and you will live	וֶֽחְיֵֽה׃	weḥ·yêh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H2421 live