Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Proverbs 4:1-27.-The young are urged by Solomon, as he was urged by his father, to get wisdom as the principal thing, and as that which will give glory to its possessors (Proverbs 4:1-9). The youth is warned so to keep Wisdom, who is his preserver from stumbling, as not to go in the way of evil men, whose aim is mischief and violence, and whose way is darkness, as contrasted with the paths of the just, which is as the shining light, ever growing in brightness (Proverbs 4:10-19). The youth is admonished to earnestly attend to the words of wisdom, as being life to those that find them; and for this end to keep the heart, out of which are the issues of life, and to put away from the lips all frowardness, and to look with the eyes straight onward, so as not to turn to the right or left from the heavenward path (Proverbs 4:20-27).
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father - a spiritual father-namely, me, Solomon. "The instruction" - literally, discipline; disciplinary instruction. (Hebrew, muwcar (H4148).) So drowsy are we all that was need our attention to be continually aroused. But it must be done lovingly, so that we may feel our instructor to be at the same time "a father" and friend.