Proverbs 4:1

Admonition to Follow Righteousness and Avoid Wickedness ¹ 

4:1 Listen, children, ²  to a father’s instruction, ³ 

and pay attention so that ⁴  you may gain ⁵  discernment.

Proverbs 5:7

5:7 So now, children, ⁶  listen to me;

do not turn aside from the words I speak. ⁷ 

Proverbs 7:24

7:24 So now, sons, ⁸  listen to me,

and pay attention to the words I speak. ⁹ 

Proverbs 8:6

8:6 Listen, for I will speak excellent things, ¹⁰ 

and my lips will utter ¹¹  what is right.

Proverbs 8:32

8:32 “So now, children, ¹²  listen to me;

blessed are those who keep my ways.

[4:1]  ¹ sn The chapter includes an exhortation to acquire wisdom (1-4a), a list of the benefits of wisdom (4b-9), a call to pursue a righteous lifestyle (10-13), a warning against a wicked lifestyle (14-19), and an exhortation to righteousness (20-27).

[4:1]  ² tn Heb “sons.”

[4:1]  ³ tn Heb “discipline.”

[4:1]  ⁴ tn The Qal infinitive construct with preposition ל (lamed) indicates the purpose/result of the preceding imperative.

[4:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “know” (so KJV, ASV).

[5:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “sons.”

[5:7]  ⁷ tn Heb “the words of my mouth” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV).

[7:24]  ¹¹ tn The literal translation “sons” works well here in view of the warning. Cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “children.”

[7:24]  ¹² tn Heb “the words of my mouth.”

[8:6]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “noble” or “princely.” Wisdom begins the first motivation by claiming to speak noble things, that is, excellent things.

[8:6]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “opening of my lips” (so KJV, NASB). The noun “lips” is a metonymy of cause, with the organ of speech put for what is said.

[8:32]  ²¹ tn Heb “sons.”