Font Size
Proverbs 4:3-13
New American Standard Bible
Proverbs 4:3-13
New American Standard Bible
3 When I was a son to my father,
(A)Tender and (B)the only son in the sight of my mother,
4 He (C)taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart (D)take hold of my words;
(E)Keep my commandments and live;
5 (F)Acquire wisdom! (G)Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not abandon her, and she will guard you;
(H)Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 (I)The [a]beginning of wisdom is: (J)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your possessions, acquire understanding.
8 (K)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place (L)on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Listen, my son, and (M)accept my sayings,
And the (N)years of your life will be many.
11 I have (O)instructed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
12 When you walk, your (P)steps will not be hampered;
And if you run, you (Q)will not stumble.
13 (R)Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your (S)life.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:7 Or primary thing is wisdom
Proverbs 4:3-13
New International Version
Proverbs 4:3-13
New International Version
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold(A) of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.(B)
5 Get wisdom,(C) get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(D)
love her, and she will watch over you.(E)
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
Though it cost all(F) you have,[b] get understanding.(G)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.(H)
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.(I)”
10 Listen, my son,(J) accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.(K)
11 I instruct(L) you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.(M)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.(N)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.(O)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
- Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.