# Proverbs 4.1

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-08-13 | updated: 2026-08-13 -->

**Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> **1. Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:**
>
> 2. For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law. 3. For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. (Proverbs 4:1-3, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> **1. Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;**
>
> 2. for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law. 3. For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother. (Proverbs 4:1-3, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> **1. Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.**
>
> 2. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. (Proverbs 4:1-3, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> **1. Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.**
>
> 2. For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not. 3. For, a son I have been to my father, tender, And an only one before my mother. (Proverbs 4:1-3, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Lexicon:**

- [H7181 - qashab](/codex/h7181-qashab/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.