Proverbs 4 is traditionally attributed to King Solomon, son of David, as part of the larger section of the book introduced as “the proverbs of Solomon.”
Traditional authorship
Jewish and Christian tradition view Solomon as the primary author of the early chapters of Proverbs (chapters 1–9), which include Proverbs 4, since the book opens by naming him and presents these chapters as a father’s instruction in wisdom. Within this view, Proverbs 4 is treated as Solomon’s exhortation to his “son” to pursue wisdom and avoid wicked paths.
Scholarly perspective
Many modern scholars see Proverbs as a compiled work, gathered and edited over centuries, so they are cautious about assigning any single chapter to Solomon with historical certainty. From this perspective, Proverbs 4 belongs to an early core of wisdom material traditionally linked to Solomon, but its final form likely reflects later scribal editing and arrangement.
