New Living Translation
Proverbs 23:26
26O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
Proverbs 23:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
- New International Version (NIV)My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways,
- English Standard Version (ESV)My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
- New King James Version (NKJV)My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways.
Context of Proverbs 23:26
24The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. 25So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy. O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways. 27A prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well. 28She hides and waits like a robber, eager to make more men unfaithful.
Read all of Proverbs 23Proverbs 23:26 word by word
תְּנָֽה־בְנִ֣י לִבְּךָ֣ לִ֑י וְ֝עֵינֶ֗יךָ דְּרָכַ֥י תִּצֹּֽרְנָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 23:26
- Proverbs 23:15My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice!
- Proverbs 4:23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
- Deuteronomy 6:5And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.
- Matthew 10:37“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
- Luke 14:26“If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.
- 2 Corinthians 5:14Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
- 2 Corinthians 8:5They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.
- Ephesians 3:17Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
- Proverbs 4:25Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
- Psalms 107:43Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.
- Psalms 119:2Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.
- Hosea 14:9Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.
- 2 Peter 1:19Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.
Commentaries on Proverbs 23:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26My son, give me thine heart - This is the speech of God to every human soul; give thy affections to God, so as to love him with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength. And let thine eyes observe my ways - Be obedient to me in all things. My son, thou believest that I Am, and that I Am the Fountain of all good. Give me thy heart; it is I alone who can make thee happy. Observe my ways - follow me; do what is right in my sight. This exhortation contains…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-35Verses 15-35 Another continuous exhortation rather than a collection of maxims. Proverbs 23:16 The teacher rejoices when the disciple‘s heart Proverbs 23:15 receives wisdom, and yet more when his lips can utter it. Reins - See Job 19:27 note. Proverbs 23:17 Envy sinners - Compare in Psalm 37:1; Psalm 73:3; the feeling which looks half-longingly at the prosperity of evil doers. Some connect the verb “envy” with the second clause, “envy not sinners, but…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-28Verses 19-28 The gracious Saviour who purchased pardon and peace for his people, with all the affection of a tender parent, counsels us to hear and be wise, and is ready to guide our hearts in his way. Here we have an earnest call to young people, to attend to the advice of their godly parents. If the heart be guided, the steps will be guided. Buy the truth, and sell it not; be willing to part with any thing for it. Do not part with it for pleasures…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-28Saying 17: Falling for a promiscuous woman is a trap, not a benefit. Proverbs often warns against sexual relations outside of marriage (see Proverbs 5; 6:20–35; 7:1–27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 26-3526-35. A solemn warning against whoredom and drunkenness (Ho 4:11). give me--This is the address of that divine wisdom so often presented (Pr 8:1; 9:3, &c.). heart--confidence. observe--keep. my ways--such as I teach you (Pr 3:17; 9:6).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 23:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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