Proverbs 4:20 (YLT)

Passage

My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,

Nearby Context

Proverbs 4:18 And the path of the righteous <FI>is<Fi> as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,

Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked <FI>is<Fi> as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

Proverbs 4:20 My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,

Proverbs 4:21 Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.

Proverbs 4:22 For life they <FI>are<Fi> to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "words", "give", "attention", "sayings", "incline", and "thine". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "words" and "give", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "The way of the wicked FI is..." into verse 21's "Let them not turn aside from thine...", so "words" and "give" 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 "words" and "give" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.