Proverbs 5:1

THE MESSAGE

Dear friend, pay close attention to this, my wisdom; listen very closely to the way I see it. Then you'll acquire a taste for good sense; what I tell you will keep you out of trouble.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
My son, pay attention to my wisdom;

Hebrew Names Version
My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:

King James Version
My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:

English Standard Version
My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding,

New Century Version
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen to my words of understanding.

New English Translation
My child, be attentive to my wisdom, pay close attention to my understanding,

Amplified Bible
My son, be attentive to my wisdom [godly wisdom learned by costly experience], Incline your ear to my understanding;

New American Standard Bible
My son, pay attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding,

World English Bible
My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:

Geneva Bible (1587)
My sonne, hearken vnto my wisedome, & incline thine eare vnto my knowledge.

Legacy Standard Bible
My son, pay attention to my wisdom,Incline your ear to my discernment;

Berean Standard Bible
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding,

Contemporary English Version
My son, if you listen closely to my wisdom and good sense,

Complete Jewish Bible
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding;

Darby Translation
My son, attend unto my wisdom, incline thine ear to my understanding;

Easy-to-Read Version
Son, listen to this piece of wisdom from me. Pay attention to what I know to be true.

George Lamsa Translation
MY son, attend to my wisdom and incline your ear to my understanding,

Good News Translation
My child, pay attention and listen to my wisdom and insight.

Lexham English Bible
My child, be attentive to my wisdom, and to my understanding incline your ear;

Literal Translation
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; stretch your ear to my understanding;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
My sonne, geue hede vnto my wysdome, & bowe thine eare vnto my prudece:

American Standard Version
My son, attend unto my wisdom; Incline thine ear to my understanding:

Bible in Basic English
My son, give attention to my wisdom; let your ear be turned to my teaching:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
My son, attend unto my wisdom; incline thine ear to my understanding;

King James Version (1611)
My sonne, attend vnto my wisedome, and bowe thine eare to my vnderstanding.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
My sonne geue heede vnto my wisdome, and bowe thyne eare vnto my prudence:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
My son, attend to my wisdom, and apply thine ear to my words;

English Revised Version
My son, attend unto my wisdom; incline thine ear to my understanding:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Mi sone, perseyue thou my wisdom, and bowe doun thin eere to my prudence; that thou kepe thi thouytis,

Update Bible Version
My son, attend to my wisdom; Incline your ear to my understanding:

Webster's Bible Translation
My son, attend to my wisdom, [and] bow thy ear to my understanding:

New King James Version
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding,

New Living Translation
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel.

New Life Bible
My son, listen to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding.

New Revised Standard
My child, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
My son, to my wisdom, attend, and, to mine understanding, incline thou thine ear:

Douay-Rheims Bible
My son, attend to my wisdom, and incline thy ear to my prudence,

Revised Standard Version
My son, be attentive to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding;

Young's Literal Translation
My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding;

Contextual Overview

¹ Dear friend, pay close attention to this, my wisdom; listen very closely to the way I see it. Then you'll acquire a taste for good sense; what I tell you will keep you out of trouble. ³The lips of a seductive woman are oh so sweet, her soft words are oh so smooth. But it won't be long before she's gravel in your mouth, a pain in your gut, a wound in your heart. She's dancing down the primrose path to Death; she's headed straight for Hell and taking you with her. She hasn't a clue about Real Life, about who she is or where she's going. ⁷So, my friend, listen closely; don't treat my words casually. Keep your distance from such a woman; absolutely stay out of her neighborhood. You don't want to squander your wonderful life, to waste your precious life among the hardhearted. Why should you allow strangers to take advantage of you? Why be exploited by those who care nothing for you? You don't want to end your life full of regrets, nothing but sin and bones, Saying, "Oh, why didn't I do what they told me? Why did I reject a disciplined life? Why didn't I listen to my mentors, or take my teachers seriously? My life is ruined! I haven't one blessed thing to show for my life!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

attend: Proverbs 2:1, Proverbs 4:1, Proverbs 4:20, Matthew 3:9, Mark 4:23, Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:29, Revelation 3:6, Revelation 3:13, Revelation 3:22

bow: Proverbs 22:17, James 1:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 49:2 - hearken Job 33:33 - hearken Proverbs 1:8 - hear Proverbs 8:33 - Hear Proverbs 23:12 - General 1 Thessalonians 2:11 - as

Cross-References

Genesis 6:9
This is the story of Noah: Noah was a good man, a man of integrity in his community. Noah walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 10:1
This is the family tree of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. After the flood, they themselves had sons.

1 Chronicles 1:1
Adam Seth Enosh Kenan Mahalalel Jared Enoch Methuselah Lamech Noah Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Ecclesiastes 12:1
Honor and enjoy your Creator while you're still young, Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes, Before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter years keep you close to the fire.

Matthew 1:1
The family tree of Jesus Christ, David's son, Abraham's son:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

My son, attend unto my wisdom,.... Not the wisdom of the world or of the flesh, worldly wisdom and carnal policy; but spiritual and evangelical wisdom; such as one that is greater than Solomon has in him, even Christ; "for in him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge", Colossians 2:3; and which he teaches and communicates to others, even all proper instructions for conduct in life: the Gospel, and each of the doctrines of it, which are "the wisdom of God in a mystery", 1 Corinthians 2:7: these every child of God, and disciple of Christ, ought carefully and diligently to attend unto;

[and] bow thine ear to my understanding: listen attentively to those things which I have, and give an understanding of, even things divine and spiritual; the understanding of which is of the utmost moment and importance.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The formula of a new counsel, introducing another warning against the besetting sin of youth Proverbs 2:16.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER V

Farther exhortations to acquire wisdom, 1, 2.

The character of a loose woman, and the ruinous consequences

of attachment to such, 3-14.

Exhortations to chastity and moderation, 15-21.

The miserable end of the wicked, 22, 23.

NOTES ON CHAP. V

Verse Proverbs 5:1. Attend unto my wisdom — Take the following lessons from my own experience.