Proverbs 4:20

4:20 My child, pay attention to my words;

listen attentively ¹  to my sayings.

Proverbs 23:12

23:12 Apply ²  your heart to instruction

and your ears to the words of knowledge.

[4:20]  ¹ tn Heb “incline your ear.” The verb הַט (hat) is the Hiphil imperative from נָטָה (natah, Hiphil: “to turn to; to incline”). The idiom “to incline the ear” gives the picture of “lean over and listen closely.”

[23:12]  ² tn Heb “bring.” The Hiphil imperative “come; enter” means “to apply the heart,” to use the heart or mind in the process. The same would be true in the second half: “to bring the ears” would mean to listen very carefully. Cf. TEV “Pay attention.”