Proverbs 4:13 (DBY)

Passage

Take fast hold of instruction, let [her] not go: keep her, for she is thy life.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 4:11 I will teach thee in the way of wisdom, I will lead thee in paths of uprightness.

Proverbs 4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when 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 go not in the way of evil [men]:

Proverbs 4:15 avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass away.

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.