The Meaning of Proverbs 4:20 Explained

Proverbs 4:20

KJV: My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

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

Darby: My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

ASV: My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

My son,  attend  to my words;  incline  thine ear  unto my sayings. 

What does Proverbs 4:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 4:10-27 - Guide-Posts On The Way Of Life
One or two sentences stand out in this section, demanding special attention. The path of the just, etc., Proverbs 4:18. We may compare this beautiful similitude with 2 Samuel 23:4. In the East, where the heavens are for the most part free of cloud, the steadily increasing light of any day to perfect noontide glory is the ordinary experience. Let us so live that the path of our life may become ever more radiant and beneficent in its heat and light.
Keep thy heart, etc., Proverbs 4:23. "Above all keeping," margin. The gates of the heart need careful scrutiny. When we are careless, thoughts creep in with malign intent. We should imitate the good Nehemiah 13:19. Ask that pure and holy angels may stand sentry as at the gates of pearl, Revelation 21:12. If you think right, you will live right.
Ponder the path, etc., Proverbs 4:26. "Weigh carefully." Act in haste and repent at leisure! Ask God to keep you back from presumptuous sins; and bear in mind the wise exhortation of Ecclesiastes 5:2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 4

1  persuades to wisdom
14  and to show wickedness
20  He exhorts to sanctification

What do the individual words in Proverbs 4:20 mean?

My son to my words give attention to my sayings Incline your ear
בְּ֭נִי לִדְבָרַ֣י הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י הַט־ אָזְנֶֽךָ

בְּ֭נִי  My  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
לִדְבָרַ֣י  to  my  words 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה  give  attention 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: קָשַׁב  
Sense: to hear, be attentive, heed, incline (of ears), attend (of ears), hearken, pay attention, listen.
לַ֝אֲמָרַ֗י  to  my  sayings 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֵמֶר 
Sense: utterance, speech, word, saying, promise, command.
הַט־  Incline 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
אָזְנֶֽךָ  your  ear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.