Proverbs 1 · Verse 8

Proverbs 1:8

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Proverbs 1:8, King James Version

Proverbs 1:8 in other translations

BSB	Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
WEB	My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
ASV	My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
YLT	Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,
DARBY	Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;
BBE	My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother:
Webster	My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

What does Proverbs 1:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

8. My son--This paternal form denotes a tender regard for the reader. Filial sentiments rank next to piety towards God, and ensure most distinguished rewards (compare Pr 6:20; Ep 6:2, 3).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 My son, hear - Father was the title of preceptor, and son, that of disciple or scholar, among the Jews. But here the reference appears to be to the children of a family; the father and the mother have the principal charge, in the first instance, of their children's instruction. It is supposed that these parents have, themselves, the fear of the Lord, and that they are capable of giving the best counsel to their children, and that they set before them a strict example of all godly living. In vain do parents give good advice if their own conduct be not consistent. The father occasionally gives instruction; but he is not always in the family, many of those occupations which are necessary for the family support being carried on abroad. The mother - she is constantly within doors, and to her the regulation of the family belongs; therefore she has and gives laws. The wise man says in effect to every child, "Be obedient to thy mother within, and carefully attend to the instructions of thy father, that thou mayest the better see the reasons of obedience; and learn from him how thou art to get thy bread honestly in the world."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 1:7-9

Fools are persons who have no true wisdom, who follow their own devices, without regard to reason, or reverence for God. Children are reasonable creatures, and when we tell them what they must do, we must tell them why. But they are corrupt and wilful, therefore with the instruction there is need of a law. Let Divine truths and commands be to us most honourable; let us value them, and then they shall be so to us.

Read the full comment on Proverbs 1:7-9 →

Proverbs 1:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'listen toH8085

בְּ֭נִיBe.niO son myH1121

מוּסַ֣רmu.Sar[the] correction ofH4148

אָבִ֑יךָ'a.Vi.khafather yourH1

וְאַל\־ve.'al-and may notH408

תִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁti.Toshyou rejectH5203

תּוֹרַ֥תto.Rat[the] instruction ofH8451

אִמֶּֽךָ\׃'i.Me.khamother yourH517

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 1:8

Proverbs 6:20
My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Proverbs 30:17
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
Proverbs 5:1-2
My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
Proverbs 31:1
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2 Timothy 1:5
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
Proverbs 2:1
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Proverbs 1:10
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Leviticus 19:3
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Proverbs 4:1-4
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Proverbs 3:1
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Proverbs 7:1
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

My son.
10,15; 2:1; 3:1; 7:1; Mt 9:2,22
hear.
4:1-4; 5:1,2; 6:20; 30:17; 31:1; Le 19:3; De 21:18-21; 1Sa 2:25
2Ti 1:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:8
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Proverbs 1:9
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

Read all of Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Oye, hijo mío, la doctrina de tu padre, y no desprecies la dirección de tu madre:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Écoute, mon fils, l’instruction de ton père, et n’abandonne pas l’enseignement de ta mère;
German Elberfelder 1871	Höre, mein Sohn, die Unterweisung deines Vaters, und verlaß nicht die Belehrung deiner Mutter!
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Audi, fili mi, disciplinam patris tui, et ne dimittas legem matris tuæ: