Focused Passage

Proverbs 23:22-25

Guarded Desire, Wise Discipline, the Fear of the LORD, and Warnings Against Envy, Gluttony, Lust, and Drunkenness

The chapter moves through warnings about appetite and wealth, discernment at corrupt tables, protection of boundaries and the fatherless, heart-applied instruction and discipline, parental joy, fear of the LORD over envy, warnings against gluttony and drunkenness, honoring parents, buying truth, sexual purity, and a final extended portrait of wine's deceptive destruction.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 Invest in truth and never sell it—in wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24 The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.

25 May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 22

Cross-references

Ephesians 6:1 Classic cross-references Exodus 20:12 Classic cross-references Matthew 15:4 Classic cross-references Proverbs 30:17 Classic cross-references Proverbs 1:8 Classic cross-references

Original words

Listen שְׁמַ֣ע H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular to your father לְ֭אָבִיךָ H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular who זֶ֣ה H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular gave you life יְלָדֶ֑ךָ H3205 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular and do not וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb despise תָּ֝ב֗וּז H936 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your mother אִמֶּֽךָ׃ H517 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular when כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction she is old זָקְנָ֥ה H2204 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular

Verse 23

Cross-references

Proverbs 18:15 Classic cross-references Matthew 13:44 Classic cross-references Psalms 119:72 Classic cross-references Proverbs 16:16 Classic cross-references Hebrews 11:26 Classic cross-references

Original words

Invest in קְ֭נֵה H7069 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular truth אֱמֶ֣ת H571 Noun - feminine singular and never וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb sell it תִּמְכֹּ֑ר H4376 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular in wisdom חָכְמָ֖ה H2451 Noun - feminine singular and instruction וּמוּסָ֣ר H4148 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and understanding וּבִינָֽה׃ H998 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 24

Cross-references

3 John 1:4 Classic cross-references Proverbs 10:1 Classic cross-references Proverbs 23:15 Classic cross-references Proverbs 15:20 Classic cross-references Luke 1:14 Classic cross-references

Original words

The father אֲבִ֣י H1 Noun - masculine singular construct of a righteous man צַדִּ֑יק H6662 Adjective - masculine singular will greatly rejoice גּוֹל H1523 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . יָגוֹל H1523 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and he who fathers יוֹלֵד H3205 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular a wise son חָ֝כָ֗ם H2450 Adjective - masculine singular will delight in him וְיִשְׂמַח H8055 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . בּֽוֹ׃ H8055 Preposition | third person masculine singular

Verse 25

Cross-references

Proverbs 17:25 Classic cross-references Luke 1:58 Classic cross-references Luke 11:27 Classic cross-references

Original words

May your father אָבִ֥יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and mother וְאִמֶּ֑ךָ H517 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular be glad יִֽשְׂמַח־ H8055 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and may she who gave you birth יֽוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃ H3205 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular rejoice וְ֝תָגֵ֗ל H1523 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular

Read full chapter context All Proverbs chapters

<- Proverbs 22 Proverbs 23 Proverbs 24 ->