Proverbs 4:5–7
A father urges his son to get wisdom, whatever it costs
Study it word by word5Acquire wisdom; acquire understanding; do not forget, and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
6Do not abandon her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
7The beginning of wisdom: acquire wisdom, and with all you possess acquire understanding.
In its context
3For I was a son to my father, tender and only before my mother.
4And he instructed me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
…
8Exalt her, and she will raise you up; she will honor you when you embrace her.
9She will place on your head a garland of favor; a crown of beauty she will present to you.”
Its words in the original
- קְנֵהkene· acquire, buy
Acquire, get, buy; own. Sometimes "create" or "form".
- חָכְמָהchachma· wisdom, skill
Wisdom: knowing how to live and act well; also the skill of a good craftsman.
- בִינָהvina· understanding
Understanding: the ability to comprehend and to tell one thing from another.
- תִּשְׁכַּחtishkach· forget
Forget.
- תֵּטtet· stretch out, turn aside
Stretch out, spread; pitch a tent. Also bend, incline; turn aside, pervert (justice).
- אִמְרֵיimre· words, sayings
Words, sayings. In Genesis 49:21, some read "fawns".
- פִfi· mouth
Mouth. Also what someone says or commands ("by the mouth of" = by the word of); the edge of a sword; "according to".
- תַּעַזְבֶtaazve· leave, forsake
Leave, forsake, abandon; also let go, leave behind for someone.
- תִשְׁמְרֶtishmre· keep, guard
Keep: watch over, guard, protect; also keep a command or a covenant, observe.
- אֱהָבֶehave· love
Love, have affection for someone: a parent for a child, a husband for a wife, a friend for a friend, a person for God; also like, desire.
- תִצְּרֶtitsre· keep, guard
Keep, watch over, preserve.
- רֵאשִׁיתreshit· beginning, firstfruits
What is first in time, order or importance: the beginning of something. It is also used for the "firstfruits", the first part of a harvest; the best part.
- קִנְיָנְkinyan· possessions
What has been acquired: goods, possessions, property.