~よ (classical imperative)

The classical/literary imperative ending ~よ, attached to the stem of ichidan verbs and (irregularly) to some others: 見よ ('behold!'), 起きよ ('arise!'), 避けよ ('avoid!'), 愛せよ ('love!'). Archaic today but alive in proverbs, religious/biblical texts, poetry, stylized fiction, and dramatic commands. Modern equivalent for ichidan verbs: ~ろ. Distinct from ~せよ, the parallel classical imperative for する.