# Proverbs 4.4 **Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · NASB95 ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 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; 6. Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee. (Proverbs 4:2-6, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 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. 6. Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you. (Proverbs 4:2-6, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 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. 6. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. (Proverbs 4:2-6, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 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. 6. Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee. (Proverbs 4:2-6, 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_ ## Quoted in **Lexicon:** - [H7181 - qashab](/codex/h7181-qashab/) ## 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.