Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Parallel translations
- WEB Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
- BSB Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will 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 2:13For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
- Prov 3:2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
- Jer 9:20Yet hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.
- Deut 6:2That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
- Prov 3:16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
- Prov 8:10Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
- 1 Tim 1:15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
- John 3:32–33And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
- Prov 2:1My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
- Prov 19:20Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
- Job 22:22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
- Deut 5:16Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.