The Meaning of Proverbs 7:4 Explained

Proverbs 7:4

KJV: Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

YLT: Say to wisdom, 'My sister Thou art.' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!'

Darby: Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and call intelligence thy kinswoman:

ASV: Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; And call understanding thy kinswoman:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Say  unto wisdom,  Thou [art] my sister;  and call  understanding  [thy] kinswoman: 

What does Proverbs 7:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 7

1  Solomon persuades to a sincere and kind familiarity with wisdom
6  In an example of his own experience he shows
10  the cunning of a harlot
22  and the desperate simplicity of a young wanton
24  He detests such wickedness

What do the individual words in Proverbs 7:4 mean?

Say to wisdom my sister You [are] and [your] nearest kin understanding call
אֱמֹ֣ר לַֽ֭חָכְמָה אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ וּ֝מֹדָ֗ע לַבִּינָ֥ה תִקְרָֽא

אֱמֹ֣ר  Say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לַֽ֭חָכְמָה  to  wisdom 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
אֲחֹ֣תִי  my  sister 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָחֹות  
Sense: sister.
אָ֑תְּ  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person feminine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
וּ֝מֹדָ֗ע  and  [your]  nearest  kin 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹדָע  
Sense: kinsman, relative.
לַבִּינָ֥ה  understanding 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בִּינָה  
Sense: understanding, discernment.
תִקְרָֽא  call 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.