Proverbs 23 · Verse 12

Proverbs 23:12

Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Proverbs 23:12, King James Version

Proverbs 23:12 in other translations

BSBApply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
WEBApply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
ASVApply thy heart unto instruction, And thine ears to the words of knowledge.
YLTBring in to instruction thy heart, And thine ear to sayings of knowledge.
DARBYApply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
BBEGive your heart to teaching, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
WebsterApply thy heart to instruction, and thy ears to the words of knowledge.

What does Proverbs 23:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. Here begins another series of precepts.

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

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 23:12-16
Here is a parent instructing his child to give his mind to the Scriptures. Here is a parent correcting his child: accompanied with prayer, and blessed of God, it may prove a means of preventing his destruction. Here is a parent encouraging his child, telling him what would be for his good. And what a comfort it would be, if herein he answered his expectation!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 23:12 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.

הָבִ֣יאָהha.Vi.'ahbring !H935
לַמּוּסָ֣רla.mu.Sarto <the> disciplineH4148
לִבֶּ֑ךָli.Be.khaheart yourH3820
וְ֝אָזְנֶ֗ךָve.'a.ze.Ne.khaand ears yourH241
לְאִמְרֵי\־le.'im.rei-to words ofH561
דָֽעַת\׃Da.'atknowledgeH1847

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

Cross references for Proverbs 23:12

  • 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 2:2-6

    So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. …

  • Proverbs 23:19

    Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

  • James 1:21-25

    Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. …

  • Ezekiel 33:31

    And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

  • Matthew 13:52

    Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

  • Proverbs 22:17

    Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
19; 2:2-6; 5:1,2; 22:17; Eze 33:31; Mt 13:52; Jas 1:21-25

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

Context

  • Proverbs 23:11

    For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

  • Proverbs 23:12

    Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

  • Proverbs 23:13

    Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Read all of Proverbs 23

Proverbs 23:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Aplica tu corazón á la enseñanza, y tus oídos á las palabras de sabiduría.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Applique ton cœur à l’instruction et tes oreilles aux paroles de la connaissance.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Bringe dein Herz her zur Unterweisung, und deine Ohren zu den Worten der Erkenntnis.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ingrediatur ad doctrinam cor tuum, et aures tuæ ad verba scientiæ.