Proverbs 4:20

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

בְּ֭נִי לִדְבָרַ֣י הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י הַט־אָזְנֶֽךָ׃

Transliteration

bənî lidbāray haqšîbâ laʾămāray haṭ-ʾāznekā

Grammar Details

*bənî*: masculine singular noun + 1st person singular suffix - my son
*lidbāray*: preposition + masculine plural noun + 1st person singular suffix - to my words
*haqšîbâ*: imperative, masculine singular, hiphil - pay attention
*laʾămāray*: preposition + masculine plural noun + 1st person singular suffix - to my sayings
*haṭ-ʾāznekā*: imperative, masculine singular, hiphil + feminine singular noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - incline your ear

Word Meanings

*dbāray*: my words/matters/affairs
*haqšîbâ*: pay attention/listen/be attentive
*ʾămāray*: my sayings/words/promises
*haṭ*: incline/stretch out/extend
*ʾāznekā*: your ear/hearing

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 5:1 : 1 My son, attend unto my wisdom; Incline thine ear to my understanding:
Prov 7:1 : 1 My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.
Isa 55:3 : 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Matt 17:5 : 5 While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Prov 6:20-21 : 20 My son, keep the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother: 21 Bind them continually upon thy heart; Tie them about thy neck.
Ps 78:1 : 1 Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Ps 90:12 : 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may get us a heart of wisdom.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Prov 5:1-2
2 verses
86%
1My son, attend unto my wisdom; Incline thine ear to my understanding:
2That thou mayest preserve discretion, And that thy lips may keep knowledge.
Prov 2:1-2
2 verses
83%
1My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee;
2So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding;
Prov 4:10-11
2 verses
82%
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Prov 7:24-25
2 verses
81%
24Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, And attend to the words of my mouth.
25Let not thy heart decline to her ways; Go not astray in her paths.
Prov 4:1-2
2 verses
81%
1Hear, [my] sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:
2For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.
Prov 4:21
80%
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Prov 7:1
80%
1My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.
Prov 23:26
80%
26My son, give me thy heart; And let thine eyes delight in my ways.
Prov 22:17-18
2 verses
79%
17Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.
Prov 5:7
79%
7Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth.
Prov 23:19
79%
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thy heart in the way.
Prov 23:12
78%
12Apply thy heart unto instruction, And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Prov 8:32-33
2 verses
78%
32Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.
33Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not.
Prov 1:8
78%
8My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
Prov 3:1
77%
1My son, forget not my law; But let thy heart keep my commandments:
Prov 4:4-5
2 verses
77%
4And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;
5Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
Prov 3:21
77%
21My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
Ps 78:1
77%
1Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Prov 1:15
76%
15My son, walk not thou in the way with them; Refrain thy foot from their path:
Prov 19:27
75%
27Cease, my son, to hear instruction [Only] to err from the words of knowledge.
Prov 6:20-21
2 verses
75%
20My son, keep the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
21Bind them continually upon thy heart; Tie them about thy neck.
Prov 1:10
74%
10My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not.
Gen 27:8
74%
8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
Ezek 3:10
74%
10Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears.
Job 34:16
74%
16If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: Hearken to the voice of my words.
Isa 28:23
74%
23Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
Job 13:17
74%
17Hear diligently my speech, And let my declaration be in your ears.
Prov 22:6
73%
6Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Prov 4:25-26
2 verses
73%
25Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
Ps 49:4
73%
4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
Prov 4:19
72%
19The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.
Job 22:22
72%
22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart.
Prov 1:5
72%
5That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
Ps 5:1
72%
1For the Chief Musician; with the Nehiloth. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O Jehovah, Consider my meditation.
Prov 23:15
72%
15My son, if thy heart be wise, My heart will be glad, even mine:
Prov 27:11
72%
11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him that reproacheth me.
Prov 1:23
72%
23Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you.
Prov 23:22
72%
22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old.
Prov 13:1
71%
1A wise son [heareth] his father's instruction; But a scoffer heareth not rebuke.