Proverbs 4:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אַל־יַלִּ֥יזוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ שָׁ֝מְרֵ֗ם בְּת֣וֹךְ לְבָבֶֽךָ׃

Transliteration

ʾal-yallîzû mēʿênêkā šāmrēm bətôk ləbābekā

Grammar Details

*ʾal-yallîzû*: negative particle + imperfect (jussive), 3rd person masculine plural, hiphil - let them not depart
*mēʿênêkā*: preposition + feminine dual noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - from your eyes
*šāmrēm*: imperative, masculine singular, qal + 3rd person masculine plural suffix - keep them
*bətôk*: preposition + masculine singular construct noun - in midst of
*ləbābekā*: masculine singular noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your heart

Word Meanings

*yallîzû*: depart/deviate/turn aside
*šāmrēm*: keep/guard/preserve them
*tôk*: midst/middle/among
*ləbābekā*: your heart/mind/inner self

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 3:21 : 21 My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
Prov 2:1 : 1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee;
Prov 3:3 : 3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
Prov 7:1-2 : 1 My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee. 2 Keep my commandments and live; And my law as the apple of thine eye.
Ps 40:8 : 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God; Yea, thy law is within my heart.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

Prov 3:21-22
2 verses
87%
21My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22So shall they be life unto thy soul, And grace to thy neck.
Prov 4:22-26
5 verses
82%
22For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
24Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
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.
Prov 6:20-22
3 verses
81%
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.
22When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; When thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee; And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
Prov 4:20
80%
20My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Prov 3:1-3
3 verses
80%
1My son, forget not my law; But let thy heart keep my commandments:
2For length of days, and years of life, And peace, will they add to thee.
3Let not kindness and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
Prov 23:26
79%
26My son, give me thy heart; And let thine eyes delight in my ways.
Prov 4:4-6
3 verses
78%
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;
6Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
Prov 7:1-3
3 verses
78%
1My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.
2Keep my commandments and live; And my law as the apple of thine eye.
3Bind them upon thy fingers; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
Prov 22:18
77%
18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.
Deut 4:9
76%
9Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children's children;
Prov 23:19
75%
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thy heart in the way.
Prov 5:7
75%
7Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth.
Prov 4:13
75%
13Take fast hold of instruction; Let her not go: Keep her; For she is thy life.
Deut 11:18
74%
18Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul; and ye shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.
Prov 2:1-2
2 verses
74%
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 7:25
74%
25Let not thy heart decline to her ways; Go not astray in her paths.
Prov 6:25
74%
25Lust not after her beauty in thy heart; Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
Prov 1:8-9
2 verses
73%
8My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
9For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, And chains about thy neck.
Prov 23:12
73%
12Apply thy heart unto instruction, And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Matt 6:21
73%
21for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.
Prov 5:17
73%
17Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers with thee.
Prov 4:10
72%
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.
Ps 119:37
72%
37Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, And quicken me in thy ways.
Ps 119:11
72%
11Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.
Prov 22:6
72%
6Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Prov 4:1-2
2 verses
72%
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 2:11
72%
11Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee:
Prov 5:1-2
2 verses
72%
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 1:15
71%
15My son, walk not thou in the way with them; Refrain thy foot from their path:
Deut 6:6
71%
6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart;
Prov 8:32
71%
32Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me; For blessed are they that keep my ways.
Prov 7:5
71%
5That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the foreigner that flattereth with her words.
Prov 6:4
71%
4Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids;