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Proverbs 3
Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 3
Christian Standard Bible
Trust the Lord
3 My son, don’t forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commands;(A)
2 for they will bring you
many days, a full life,[a](B) and well-being.(C)
3 Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
Tie them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.(D)
4 Then you will find favor and high regard
with God and people.(E)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,(F)
and do not rely on your own understanding;(G)
6 in all your ways know him,
and he will make your paths straight.(H)
7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes;(I)
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.(J)
8 This will be healing for your body[b](K)
and strengthening for your bones.(L)
9 Honor the Lord with your possessions
and with the first produce of your entire harvest;(M)
10 then your barns will be completely filled,
and your vats will overflow with new wine.(N)
11 Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,
and do not loathe his discipline;(O)
12 for the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.(P)
Wisdom Brings Happiness
13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom(Q)
and who acquires understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.(R)
15 She is more precious than jewels;(S)
nothing you desire can equal her.(T)
16 Long life[c] is in her right hand;
in her left, riches and honor.(U)
17 Her ways are pleasant,(V)
and all her paths, peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life(W) to those who embrace her,
and those who hold on to her are happy.
19 The Lord founded the earth by wisdom(X)
and established the heavens by understanding.
20 By his knowledge the watery depths broke open,(Y)
and the clouds dripped with dew.(Z)
21 Maintain sound wisdom and discretion.
My son, don’t lose sight of them.(AA)
22 They will be life for you[d](AB)
and adornment[e] for your neck.
23 Then you will go safely on your way;
your foot will not stumble.(AC)
24 When you lie[f] down, you will not be afraid;(AD)
you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.
25 Don’t fear sudden danger
or the ruin of the wicked when it comes,(AE)
26 for the Lord will be your confidence[g]
and will keep your foot from a snare.(AF)
Treat Others Fairly
27 When it is in your power,[h]
don’t withhold good(AG) from the one to whom it belongs.
28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later.
I’ll give it tomorrow”—when it is there with you.(AH)
29 Don’t plan any harm against your neighbor,(AI)
for he trusts you and lives near you.
30 Don’t accuse anyone without cause,(AJ)
when he has done you no harm.
31 Don’t envy a violent man(AK)
or choose any of his ways;
32 for the devious are detestable to the Lord,
but he is a friend[i] to the upright.(AL)
33 The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked,(AM)
but he blesses the home of the righteous;
34 He mocks those who mock
but gives grace to the humble.(AN)
35 The wise will inherit honor,
but he holds up fools to dishonor.[j]
Proverbs 3
New Century Version
Proverbs 3
New Century Version
Advice to Children
3 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
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
Proverbs 3
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
3 My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
2 For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.
3 Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
4 And thou shalt find grace and good understanding before God and men.
5 Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
6 In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
7 Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
8 For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
10 And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
11 My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:
12 For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
14 The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:
15 She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
17 Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
20 By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
21 My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
22 And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
23 Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
24 If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
26 For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
27 Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
28 Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and to morrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
29 Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
30 Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
31 Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
32 For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
33 Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
35 The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
Proverbs 3
New International Version
Proverbs 3
New International Version
Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
3 My son,(A) do not forget my teaching,(B)
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years(C)
and bring you peace and prosperity.(D)
3 Let love and faithfulness(E) never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.(F)
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.(G)
5 Trust in the Lord(H) with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths(I) straight.[a](J)
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;(K)
fear the Lord(L) and shun evil.(M)
8 This will bring health to your body(N)
and nourishment to your bones.(O)
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits(P) of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled(Q) to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.(R)
11 My son,(S) do not despise the Lord’s discipline,(T)
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,(U)
as a father the son he delights in.[b](V)
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.(W)
15 She is more precious than rubies;(X)
nothing you desire can compare with her.(Y)
16 Long life is in her right hand;(Z)
in her left hand are riches and honor.(AA)
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.(AB)
18 She is a tree of life(AC) to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.(AD)
19 By wisdom(AE) the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,(AF)
by understanding he set the heavens(AG) in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son,(AH) do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,(AI)
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,(AJ)
an ornament to grace your neck.(AK)
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,(AL)
and your foot will not stumble.(AM)
24 When you lie down,(AN) you will not be afraid;(AO)
when you lie down, your sleep(AP) will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side(AQ)
and will keep your foot(AR) from being snared.(AS)
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.(AT)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.(AU)
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy(AV) the violent
or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse(AW)
but takes the upright into his confidence.(AX)
33 The Lord’s curse(AY) is on the house of the wicked,(AZ)
but he blesses the home of the righteous.(BA)
34 He mocks(BB) proud mockers(BC)
but shows favor to the humble(BD) and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
- Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New Century Version (NCV) 
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.