Proverbs 22:17
ESV
Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,
NIV
Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,
NASB
Extend your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge;
CSB
Listen closely, pay attention to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge.
NLT
Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.
KJV
Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
NKJV
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;
What does Proverbs 22:17 mean?
The extensive collection of wisdom which came before this verse is attributed directly to Solomon (Proverbs 10:1). Scholars suggest the thirty proverbs given between here and Proverbs 24:22 were compiled from the sayings of other wise men (Proverbs 22:20–21). Solomon exhorts readers to give careful attention to these proverbs and put them into practice (Proverbs 22:17–19).It is important to not merely hear God's Word, but also to obey it. The apostle James writes, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Jesus said, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock" (Matthew 7:24). The comparison indicates that hearing and applying Jesus' teachings enables a person to withstand trials and temptations. Simply hearing Jesus' words without obeying them is like someone who knows the best place to build a house but chooses an inferior location. This leaves a person vulnerable to the trials and temptations that buffet him.
