Proverbs 4:13 (ASV)

Passage

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.

Proverbs 4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

Proverbs 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.

Proverbs 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.

Proverbs 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "take", "fast", "hold", "instruction", "keep", and "life". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "take" and "fast", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "When thou goest thy steps shall not..." into verse 14's "Enter not into the path of the...", so "take" and "fast" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "take" and "fast" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.