Proverbs 22:17

The Sayings of the Wise ¹ 

22:17 Incline your ear ²  and listen to the words of the wise,

and apply your heart to my instruction. ³ 

James 1:19

Living Out the Message

1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! ⁴  Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

[22:17]  ¹ sn A new collection of sayings begins here, forming the fourth section of the book of Proverbs. This collection is not like that of 1:1–9:18; here the introductory material is more personal than 1:1-7, and the style differs, showing great similarity to the Instruction of Amenemope in Egypt (especially the thirty precepts of the sages in 22:17–24:22). Verses 17-21 form the introduction, and then the sayings begin in v. 22. After the thirty sayings are given, there are further sayings in 24:23-34. There is much literature on this material: see W. K. Simpson, ed., Literature of Ancient Egypt; ANET 412-425; and A. Cody, “Notes on Proverbs 22:21 and 22:23b,” Bib 61 (1980): 418-26.

[22:17]  ² sn To “incline the ear” means to “listen carefully” (cf. NCV); the expression is metonymical in that the ear is the instrument for hearing. It is like telling someone to lean over to hear better.

[22:17]  ³ tn Heb “knowledge” (so KJV, NASB); in this context it refers to the knowledge that is spoken by the wise, hence “instruction.”

[1:19]  ⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.