Proverbs

Proverbs 4:20–23

²⁰My son, pay attention to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

²¹Do not lose sight of them;

keep them within your heart.

²²For they are life to those who find them,

and health to the whole body.

²³Guard your heart with all diligence,

for from it flow springs of life.

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
My son	בְּ֭נִי	bə·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1121 son
pay attention	הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה	haq·šî·ḇāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H7181 incline, attend
to my words	לִדְבָרַ֣י	liḏ·ḇā·ray	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H1697 speech, word
incline	הַט־	haṭ-	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
your ear	אָזְנֶֽךָ׃	’ā·zə·ne·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H241 ear
to my sayings	לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י	la·’ă·mā·ray	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H561 something said

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
lose	יַלִּ֥יזוּ	yal·lî·zū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3868 turn aside, depart
sight of them	מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ	mê·‘ê·ne·ḵā	Preposition-m; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye
keep them	שָׁ֝מְרֵ֗ם	šā·mə·rēm	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
within	בְּת֣וֹךְ	bə·ṯō·wḵ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8432 midst
your heart	לְבָבֶֽךָ׃	lə·ḇā·ḇe·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3824 inner man, mind, will, heart

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they	הֵ֭ם	hêm	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
are life	חַיִּ֣ים	ḥay·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living
to those who find them	לְמֹצְאֵיהֶ֑ם	lə·mō·ṣə·’ê·hem	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4672 attain to, find
and health	מַרְפֵּֽא׃	mar·pê	Noun - masculine singular	H4832 healing, cure, health
to the whole	וּֽלְכָל־	ū·lə·ḵāl-	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
body	בְּשָׂר֥וֹ	bə·śā·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1320 flesh

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Guard	נְצֹ֣ר	nə·ṣōr	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H5341 watch, guard, keep
your heart	לִבֶּ֑ךָ	lib·be·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
with all	מִֽכָּל־	mik·kāl	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
diligence	מִ֭שְׁמָר	miš·mār	Noun - masculine singular	H4929 place of confinement, goal, prison
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
from it	מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ	mim·men·nū	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
flow	תּוֹצְא֥וֹת	tō·wṣ·’ō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H8444 outgoing, extremity, source (?), escape
springs of life	חַיִּֽים׃	ḥay·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living