Focused Passage

Proverbs 4:10-19

Guard the Heart: Fatherly Instruction, the Path of Wisdom, and the Refusal of Wickedness

The chapter moves from listening to fatherly instruction, to receiving wisdom across generations, to choosing the righteous path over the wicked way, to guarding the heart so that the whole life remains directed in wisdom.

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

10Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.

11I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.

12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.

13Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.

14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.

15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.

16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.

17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

Listenשְׁמַ֣עH8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularmy sonבְּ֭נִיH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand receiveוְקַ֣חH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularmy wordsאֲמָרָ֑יH561Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularand the yearsשְׁנ֣וֹתH8141Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructof your lifeחַיִּֽים׃H2416Noun - masculine pluralwill be manyוְיִרְבּ֥וּH7235Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural-לְ֝ךָ֗Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

I will guide youהֹרֵתִ֑יךָH3384Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singularin the wayבְּדֶ֣רֶךְH1870Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof wisdomחָ֭כְמָהH2451Noun - feminine singularI will lead youהִ֝דְרַכְתִּ֗יךָH1869Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singularon straightיֹֽשֶׁר׃H3476Noun - masculine singularpathsבְּמַעְגְּלֵי־H4570Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Verse 12

Original words

When you walkבְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָH1980Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularyour stepsצַעֲדֶ֑ךָH6806Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularwill notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlebe impededיֵצַ֣רH3334Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwhenוְאִם־H518Conjunctionyou runתָּ֝ר֗וּץH7323Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyou will notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlestumbleתִכָּשֵֽׁל׃H3782Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Hold onהַחֲזֵ֣קH2388Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularto instructionבַּמּוּסָ֣רH4148Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singulardo notאַל־H408Adverblet goתֶּ֑רֶףH7503Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singularGuard itנִ֝צְּרֶ֗הָH5341Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularforכִּי־H3588Conjunctionitהִ֥יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularis your lifeחַיֶּֽיךָ׃H2416Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

Do notאַל־H408Adverbset footתָּבֹ֑אH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularon the pathבְּאֹ֣רַחH734Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof the wickedרְ֭שָׁעִיםH7563Adjective - masculine plural[or]וְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbwalkתְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗רH833Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularin the wayבְּדֶ֣רֶךְH1870Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof evildoersרָעִֽים׃H7451Adjective - masculine plural
Verse 15

Original words

Avoid itפְּרָעֵ֥הוּH6544Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine singulardo notאַל־H408Adverbtravelתַּעֲבָר־H5674Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularon itבּ֑וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularTurnשְׂטֵ֖הH7847Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularfrom itמֵעָלָ֣יוH5921Preposition-m | third person masculine singularand pass on byוַעֲבֽוֹר׃H5674Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

Forכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthey cannotלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlesleepיִֽ֭שְׁנוּH3462Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralunlessאִם־H518Conjunction. . .לֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlethey do evilיָרֵ֑עוּH7489Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthey are deprivedוְֽנִגְזְלָ֥הH1497Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularof slumberשְׁ֝נָתָ֗םH8142Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluraluntilאִם־H518Conjunction. . .לֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlethey make someone fallיִכְשׁוֹלוּ׃H3782Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Verse 17

Original words

Forכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthey eatלָ֭חֲמוּH3898Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthe breadלֶ֣חֶםH3899Noun - masculine singular constructof wickednessרֶ֑שַׁעH7562Noun - masculine singularand drinkיִשְׁתּֽוּ׃H8354Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe wineוְיֵ֖יןH3196Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof violenceחֲמָסִ֣יםH2555Noun - masculine plural
Verse 18

Original words

The pathוְאֹ֣רַחH734Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular constructof the righteousצַ֭דִּיקִיםH6662Adjective - masculine pluralis like the first gleamכְּא֣וֹרH216Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct. . .וָ֝א֗וֹרH215Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularof dawnנֹ֑גַהּH5051Noun - feminine singularshining brighterהוֹלֵ֥ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularand brighter untilעַד־H5704Prepositionmiddayנְכ֥וֹןH3559Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular construct. . .הַיּֽוֹם׃H3117Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

But the wayדֶּ֣רֶךְH1870Noun - common singular constructof the wickedרְ֭שָׁעִיםH7563Adjective - masculine pluralis like the darkest gloomכָּֽאֲפֵלָ֑הH653Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singularthey do notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleknowיָ֝דְע֗וּH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralwhatבַּמֶּ֥הH4100Preposition-b | Interrogativemakes them stumbleיִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ׃פH3782Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.