Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
Parallel translations
- WEB Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
- KJV Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
- NKJV Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.
- NASB ¶Listen, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.
- NLT My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Receive the father's words, and your years of life will be many. Heeding wisdom is bound up with a full, lasting life.
Overview
A fresh appeal begins, linking acceptance of wise instruction with length of life, a common Proverbs association. This is a general truth: wisdom guards against the self-destruction of folly and orders life toward flourishing. It echoes the promise attached to honoring God's word (Deut 5:33) and points to the eternal life given in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Th 2:13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the word which is now at work in you who believe.
- Prov 3:2for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
- Jer 9:20Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD. Open your ears to the word of His mouth. Teach your daughters to wail, and one another to lament.
- Deut 6:2so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the LORD your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged.
- Prov 3:16Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
- Prov 8:10Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
- 1 Tim 1:15This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
- John 3:32–33He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony.
- Prov 2:1My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you,
- Prov 19:20Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.
- Job 22:22Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
- Deut 5:16Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 4:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.