Proverbs 4:1 bbe — Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:

Proverbs 4:1 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:”

Proverbs 4:1 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Proverbs, chapter 4, verse 1.

Proverbs is traditionally attributed to Solomon (primarily), with sections by Agur and Lemuel. It was written c. 970–700 BC.

Proverbs is practical wisdom for everyday life — short, vivid sayings on speech, work, money, friendship, sex, parenting, and the fear of the LORD. It teaches that wisdom is not mere cleverness but a way of walking with God in a complicated world.

Proverbs explores themes including Wisdom, Folly, Fear of the LORD, Discipline, Speech, Diligence. These themes shape the meaning and context of Proverbs 4:1.

Proverbs 4:1 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.

Proverbs 4:1 reads (BBE): “Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.