Proverbs 3

Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

1  My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
2  for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.

3  Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4  So you will find favor and good successt
in the sight of God and man.

5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6  In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7  Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8  It will be healing to your flesht
and refreshmentt to your bones.

9  Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10  then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11  My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
12  for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights.

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

13  Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14  for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than gold.
15  She is more precious than jewels,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16  Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17  Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18  She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.

19  The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding he established the heavens;
20  by his knowledge the deeps broke open,
and the clouds drop down the dew.

21  My son, do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22  and they will be life for your soul
and adornment for your neck.
23  Then you will walk on your way securely,
and your foot will not stumble.
24  If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25  Do not be afraid of sudden terror
or of the ruint of the wicked, when it comes,
26  for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught.
27  Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,t
when it is in your power to do it.

28  Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it"—when you have it with you.
29  Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
who dwells trustingly beside you.
30  Do not contend with a man for no reason,
when he has done you no harm.
31  Do not envy a man of violence
and do not choose any of his ways,
32  for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
but the upright are in his confidence.
33  The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34  Toward the scorners he is scornful,
but to the humble he gives favor.t
35  The wise will inherit honor,
but fools gett disgrace.

Proverbs 3

Exhortations to Seek Wisdom and Walk with the Lord

1 My child,t do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keept my commandments,

2 for they will providet a long and full life,t
and they will add well-beingt to you.

3 Do not let truth and mercyt leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.s

4 Then you will findt favor and good understanding,t
in the sight of God and people.t

5 Trusts in the Lord with all your heart,s
and do not relyt on your own understanding.t

6 Acknowledget him in all your ways,t
and he will make your paths straight.t

7 Do not be wise in your own estimation;t
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.s

8 This will bringt healing to your body,s
and refreshmentt to your inner self.t

9 Honort the Lord from your wealth
and from the first fruits of all your crops;t

10 then your barns will be filled completely,t
and your vatss will overflowt with new wine.

11 My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord,t
and do not loathet his rebuke.

12 For the Lord disciplinest those he loves,
just as a fathers disciplinest the son in whom he delights.

Blessings of Obtaining Wisdom

13 Blessedt is the onet who findst wisdom,
and the one who obtainst understanding.

14 For hert benefitt is more profitablet than silver,
and hert gaint is bettert than gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies,
and none of the thingst you desiret can comparet with her.t

16 Long lifet is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 Her ways are very pleasant,t
and all her paths are peaceful.

18 She is liket a tree of lifes to those who obtain her,t
and everyone who grasps hold of her will be blessed.t

19 By wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth;t
he established the heavens by understanding.s

20 By his knowledge the primordial seas was broken open,s
and the clouds drip down dew.s

21 My child, do not let themt escape from your sight;
safeguard sound wisdom and discretion.t

22 Sot they will givet life to you,t
and grace to adornt your neck.t

23 Then you will walk on your wayt with security,
and yout will not stumble.s

24 Whent you lie down you will not be filled with fear;t
whent you lie down your sleep will be pleasant.t

25 You will not be afraidt of suddent disaster,t
or when destruction overtakest the wicked;t

26 for the Lord will bett the source of your confidence,t
and he will guard your foots from being caught in a trap.t

Wisdom Demonstrated in Relationships with People

27 Do not withhold good from those who need it,t
whent youst have the abilityt to help.t

28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go! Return tomorrow
and I will give it,” whent you have it with you at the time.t

29 Do not plots evil against your neighbor
whent he dwells by you unsuspectingly.

30 Do not accuses anyonet without legitimate cause,t
if he has not treated you wrongly.

31 Do not envy a violent man,t
and do not choose to imitatet any of his ways;

32 for one who goes astrayt is an abominationt to the Lord,
but he revealst his intimate counselt to the upright.

33 The Lord’s curset is on the householdt of the wicked,s
but he blessess the homet of the righteous.t

34 Althought he is scornful to arrogant scoffers,t
yett he shows favor to the humble.t

35 The wise inherit honor,
but he holds fools ups to public contempt.t