Ecclesiastes 22:17

Jerome's Latin Vulgate

[Inclina aurem tuam, et audi verba sapientium:
appone autem cor ad doctrinam meam,

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea. Ipsi vero consideraverunt et inspexerunt me.

Nova Vulgata (1979)
Inclina aurem tuam et audi verba sapientium, appone autem cor ad doctrinam meam,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Bow: Proverbs 2:2-5, Proverbs 5:1, Proverbs 5:2

and hear: Proverbs 1:3, Proverbs 3:1, Proverbs 4:4-8, Proverbs 8:33, Proverbs 8:34, Isaiah 55:3, Matthew 17:5

apply: Proverbs 23:12, Psalms 90:12, Ecclesiastes 7:25, Ecclesiastes 8:9, Ecclesiastes 8:16

Reciprocal: Exodus 7:23 - neither Psalms 31:2 - Bow Psalms 49:3 - mouth Proverbs 4:1 - attend Proverbs 5:7 - Hear Proverbs 10:17 - the way Proverbs 16:23 - heart Ecclesiastes 10:12 - words Ecclesiastes 12:10 - written Matthew 13:52 - which Luke 6:45 - good man Acts 18:26 - expounded Colossians 4:6 - your

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise,.... Here begins a new part or division of this book. According to some, the "third"; the "first" ending with Proverbs 9:18, the "second" at

Proverbs 22:16, and a "third", beginning here, and ending with

Proverbs 24:34. It is certain that what follows from hence to the end of that is written in another style, by way of exhortation, caution; and instruction, and is directed to particular persons: as here an exhortation is made to Solomon's son, or to those that attended his instruction; or rather to the children of Wisdom, that is, Christ; to listen attentively to "the words of the wise"; of Solomon, and other wise men before him, or contemporary with him; or rather of Wisdom and her maidens, Christ, and the wise men sent by him; who are made wise to salvation, and furnished for every good work by him, from whom the words of the wise come; and who speak the wisdom of God in a mystery; and whose doctrines are to be heard and received, not as the word of men, but as the word of God;

and apply thine heart unto my knowledge; the knowledge of divine and spiritual things Christ instructs in, and the knowledge of himself; which is preferable to all other knowledge, and to thousands of gold and silver; and in comparison of which all things are but loss and dung; and therefore should be applied unto with intenseness of mind, and cordially received.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This is the commencement of a new and entirely distinct section, opening, after the fashion of Proverbs 3:1, Proverbs 3:21; Proverbs 4:1; Proverbs 7:1; with a general exhortation Proverbs 22:17-21 and passing on to special precepts. The “words of the wise” may be a title to the section: compare Proverbs 24:23. The general characteristics of this section appear to be

(1) a less close attention to the laws of parallelism, and

(2) a tendency to longer and more complicated sentences. Compare the Introduction to Proverbs.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 22:17. Bow down thine ear — From this to the end of Proverbs 22:21 are contained, not proverbs, but directions how to profit by that which wisdom has already delivered; the nature of the instruction, and the end for which it was given.

I shall give a paraphrase of this very important passage: -

I. Solomon addresses his pupils on the use of his past teachings. See on Proverbs 22:6.

1. The wise man speaks; and all his words, not merely his sentiments, are to be carefully heard.

2. He speaks knowledge - gives doctrines true in themselves, and confirmed by observation and experience.

3. These are to be heard with humility and deep attention: "Bow down thine ear."

4. They must not only be heard, but meditated and pondered: "Apply thine heart to my knowledge."