Proverbs 3
Advice to Children
1 My child, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in mind.
2 Then you will live a long time, and your life will be successful.
3 Don’t ever forget kindness and truth. Wear them like a necklace. Write them on your heart as if on a tablet.
4 Then you will be respected and will please both God and people.
5 Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding.
6 Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success.
7 Don’t depend on your own wisdom. Respect the Lord and refuse to do wrong.
8 Then your body will be healthy, and your bones will be strong.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and the firstfruits from all your crops.
10 Then your barns will be full, and your wine barrels will overflow with new wine.
11 My child, do not reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t get angry when he corrects you.
12 The Lord corrects those he loves, just as parents correct the child they delight in.
13 Happy is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gets understanding.
14 Wisdom is worth more than silver; it brings more profit than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you could want is equal to it.
16 With her right hand wisdom offers you a long life, and with her left hand she gives you riches and honor.
17 Wisdom will make your life pleasant and will bring you peace.
18 As a tree produces fruit, wisdom gives life to those who use it, and everyone who uses it will be happy.
19 The Lord made the earth, using his wisdom. He set the sky in place, using his understanding.
20 With his knowledge, he made springs flow into rivers and the clouds drop rain on the earth.
21 My child, hold on to wisdom and good sense. Don’t let them out of your sight.
22 They will give you life and beauty like a necklace around your neck.
23 Then you will go your way in safety, and you will not get hurt.
24 When you lie down, you won’t be afraid; when you lie down, you will sleep in peace.
25 You won’t be afraid of sudden trouble; you won’t fear the ruin that comes to the wicked,
26 because the Lord will keep you safe. He will keep you from being trapped.
27 Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help.
28 If you have what your neighbor asks for, don’t say, “Come back later. I will give it to you tomorrow.”
29 Don’t make plans to hurt your neighbor who lives nearby and trusts you.
30 Don’t accuse a person for no good reason; don’t accuse someone who has not harmed you.
31 Don’t be jealous of those who use violence, and don’t choose to be like them.
32 The Lord hates those who do wrong, but he is a friend to those who are honest.
33 The Lord will curse the evil person’s house, but he will bless the home of those who do right.
34 The Lord laughs at those who laugh at him, but he gives grace to those who are not proud.
35 Wise people will receive honor, but fools will be disgraced.
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