41 Listen, friends, to some fatherly advice; sit up and take notice so you'll know how to live. 2 I'm giving you good counsel; don't let it go in one ear and out the other. 3 When I was a boy at my father's knee, the pride and joy of my mother, 4 He would sit me down and drill me: "Take this to heart. Do what I tell you - live! 5 Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding! Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch! 6 Never walk away from Wisdom - she guards your life; love her - she keeps her eye on you. 7 Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! 8 Throw your arms around her - believe me, you won't regret it; never let her go - she'll make your life glorious. 9 She'll garland your life with grace, she'll festoon your days with beauty." 10 Dear friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life. 11 I'm writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I'm drawing a map to Righteous Road. 12 I don't want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns. 13 Hold tight to good advice; don't relax your grip. Guard it well - your life is at stake!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Proverbs 4:1-13
Commentary on Proverbs 4:1-13
(Read Proverbs 4:1-13)
We must look upon our teachers as our fathers: though instruction carry in it reproof and correction, bid it welcome. Solomon's parents loved him, therefore taught him. Wise and godly men, in every age of the world, and rank in society, agree that true wisdom consists in obedience, and is united to happiness. Get wisdom, take pains for it. Get the rule over thy corruptions; take more pains to get this than the wealth of this world. An interest in Christ's salvation is necessary. This wisdom is the one thing needful. A soul without true wisdom and grace is a dead soul. How poor, contemptible, and wretched are those, who, with all their wealth and power, die without getting understanding, without Christ, without hope, and without God! Let us give heed to the sayings of Him who has the words of eternal life. Thus our path will be plain before us: by taking, and keeping fast hold of instruction, we shall avoid being straitened or stumbling.