My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.
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.
- 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.
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 we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.
- Prov 3:2for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.
- Jer 9:20Yet hear Yahweh’s word, you women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth. Teach your daughters wailing, and everyone her neighbor lamentation.
- Deut 6:2that you might fear Yahweh your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you; you, and your son, and your son’s son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged.
- Prov 3:16Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.
- Prov 8:10Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.
- 1 Tim 1:15The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
- John 3:32–33What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.
- Prov 2:1My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;
- Prov 19:20Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.
- Job 22:22Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
- Deut 5:16“Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
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.