# Proverbs 4.3 **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.** > > 4. And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live; 5. Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth; (Proverbs 4:1-5, 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.** > > 4. He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live. 5. Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth. (Proverbs 4:1-5, 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.** > > 4. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 5. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. (Proverbs 4:1-5, 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.** > > 4. And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live. 5. Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth. (Proverbs 4:1-5, 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; see Lexicon Roadmap._ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ ## Quoted in **Lexicon:** - [H3173 - yachid](/codex/h3173-yachid/) --- _Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_ ## 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.