Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.
- BSB So now, my sons, listen to me, and do not turn aside from the words of my mouth.
- NKJV Therefore hear me now, my children, And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
- NASB ¶Now then, my sons, listen to me And do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
- NLT So now, my sons, listen to me. Never stray from what I am about to say:
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
The father again calls his sons to listen and not depart from his words. Heeding wise counsel is the safeguard against temptation.
Overview
Having exposed the seductress's end, the teacher renews his appeal for attentive obedience. The repetition underscores urgency: this teaching is to be heard and held without deviation. Faithful attention to God's word is the practical means by which the wise are kept from sin's path.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Prov 4:1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
- Prov 7:24Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
- Prov 22:17–21Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
- Heb 12:25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
- Prov 3:21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
- Prov 4:21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
- Prov 8:32–36Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 5:7 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.