Proverbs 4:20-21
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
With Your Whole Being Heed My Words and Live[a]
20 My son, to my words be attentive,
to my sayings incline your ear;
21 Let them not slip from your sight,
keep them within your heart;
Footnotes
- 4:20–27 Acquiring wisdom brings life and health. The learning process involves two stages: (1) hearing the teacher’s words and treasuring them in the heart; (2) speaking and acting in accord with the wisdom that one has stored in one’s heart. Seven organs of the body are mentioned: ear, eyes, heart, mouth, lips, eyelids (“gaze,” v. 25), feet. Each of the organs is to be strained to its limit as the disciple puts wisdom into practice. The physical organ stands for the faculty, e.g., the eye for sight, the foot for movement. The figure of speech is called metonymy; one word is substituted for another on the basis of a causal relation.
Proverbs 4:20-21
New American Standard Bible
20 My son, (A)pay attention to my words;
(B)Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (C)They are not to escape from your sight;
(D)Keep them in the midst of your heart.
Proverbs 4:20-21
English Standard Version
20 (A)My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (B)Let them not escape from your sight;
(C)keep them within your heart.
Proverbs 4:20-21
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
20 My child, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
Proverbs 4:20-21
New International Version
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