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Proverbs 3:1-11:17
English Standard Version
Proverbs 3:1-11:17
English Standard Version
Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart
3 (A)My son, do not forget my teaching,
(B)but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for (C)length of days and years of life
and (D)peace they will add to you.
3 Let not (E)steadfast love and (F)faithfulness forsake you;
(G)bind them around your neck;
(H)write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will (I)find favor and (J)good success[a]
in the sight of God and man.
5 (K)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and (L)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways (M)acknowledge him,
and he (N)will make straight your paths.
7 (O)Be not wise in your own eyes;
(P)fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be (Q)healing to your flesh[b]
and (R)refreshment[c] to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with (S)the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your (T)barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.
11 (U)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 (V)a father the son in whom he delights.
Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom
13 (W)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14 (X)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than (Y)gold.
15 She is more precious than (Z)jewels,
and (AA)nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 (AB)Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are (AC)riches and honor.
17 Her (AD)ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is (AE)a tree of life to those who (AF)lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.
19 (AG)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding (AH)he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge (AI)the deeps broke open,
and (AJ)the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, (AK)do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be (AL)life for your soul
and (AM)adornment for your neck.
23 (AN)Then you will walk on your way securely,
(AO)and your foot will not stumble.
24 (AP)If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, (AQ)your sleep will be sweet.
25 (AR)Do not be afraid of sudden terror
or of (AS)the ruin[d] of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
and will (AT)keep your foot from being caught.
27 (AU)Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,[e]
when it is in your power to do it.
28 (AV)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 (AW)Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
who (AX)dwells trustingly beside you.
30 (AY)Do not contend with a man for no reason,
when he has done you no harm.
31 (AZ)Do not envy (BA)a man of violence
and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for (BB)the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
but the upright are (BC)in his confidence.
33 (BD)The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he (BE)blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the (BF)scorners he (BG)is scornful,
(BH)but to the humble he gives favor.[f]
35 The wise will inherit honor,
but fools get[g] disgrace.
A Father's Wise Instruction
4 (BI)Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
and be attentive, that you may (BJ)gain[h] insight,
2 for I give you good (BK)precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
(BL)tender, (BM)the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he (BN)taught me and said to me,
(BO)“Let your heart hold fast my words;
(BP)keep my commandments, and live.
5 (BQ)Get wisdom; get (BR)insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
(BS)love her, and she will guard you.
7 (BT)The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get (BU)insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will (BV)honor you (BW)if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head (BX)a graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10 (BY)Hear, (BZ)my son, and accept my words,
that (CA)the years of your life may be many.
11 I have (CB)taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, (CC)your step will not be hampered,
and (CD)if you run, you will not stumble.
13 (CE)Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your (CF)life.
14 (CG)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they (CH)cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
(CI)and drink the wine of violence.
18 But (CJ)the path of the righteous is like (CK)the light of dawn,
which shines (CL)brighter and brighter until (CM)full day.
19 (CN)The way of the wicked is like deep (CO)darkness;
they do not know over what they (CP)stumble.
20 (CQ)My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (CR)Let them not escape from your sight;
(CS)keep them within your heart.
22 For they are (CT)life to those who find them,
and healing to all their[i] flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for (CU)from it flow (CV)the springs of life.
24 Put away from you (CW)crooked speech,
and put (CX)devious talk far from you.
25 (CY)Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 (CZ)Ponder[j] the path of your feet;
(DA)then all your ways will be sure.
27 (DB)Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
Warning Against Adultery
5 (DC)My son, be attentive to my wisdom;
(DD)incline your ear to my understanding,
2 that you may keep (DE)discretion,
and your lips may (DF)guard knowledge.
3 For the lips of (DG)a forbidden[k] woman drip honey,
and her speech[l] is (DH)smoother than oil,
4 but in the end she is (DI)bitter as (DJ)wormwood,
(DK)sharp as (DL)a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet (DM)go down to death;
her steps follow the path to[m] Sheol;
6 she (DN)does not ponder the path of life;
her ways wander, and she does not know it.
7 And (DO)now, O sons, listen to me,
and do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Keep your way far from her,
and do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you give your honor to others
and your years to the merciless,
10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength,
and your (DP)labors go to the house of a foreigner,
11 and at the end of your life you (DQ)groan,
when your flesh and body are consumed,
12 and you say, (DR)“How I hated discipline,
and my heart (DS)despised reproof!
13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers
or incline my ear to my instructors.
14 (DT)I am at the brink of utter ruin
in the assembled congregation.”
15 Drink (DU)water from your own cistern,
flowing water from your own well.
16 Should your (DV)springs be scattered abroad,
streams of water (DW)in the streets?
17 (DX)Let them be for yourself alone,
and not for strangers with you.
18 Let your (DY)fountain be blessed,
and (DZ)rejoice in (EA)the wife of your youth,
19 a lovely (EB)deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts (EC)fill you at all times with delight;
be intoxicated[n] always in her love.
20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with (ED)a forbidden woman
and embrace the bosom of (EE)an adulteress?[o]
21 For (EF)a man's ways are (EG)before the eyes of the Lord,
and he (EH)ponders[p] all his paths.
22 The (EI)iniquities of the wicked (EJ)ensnare him,
and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
23 (EK)He dies for lack of discipline,
and because of his great folly he is (EL)led astray.
Practical Warnings
6 My son, if you have put up (EM)security for your neighbor,
have (EN)given your pledge for a stranger,
2 if you are (EO)snared in the words of your mouth,
caught in the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself,
for you have come into the hand of your neighbor:
go, hasten,[q] and (EP)plead urgently with your neighbor.
4 (EQ)Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,[r]
(ER)like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 (ES)Go to (ET)the ant, O (EU)sluggard;
consider her ways, and (EV)be wise.
7 (EW)Without having any chief,
(EX)officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread (EY)in summer
and (EZ)gathers her food in harvest.
9 (FA)How long will you lie there, (FB)O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 (FC)A little sleep, a little slumber,
(FD)a little (FE)folding of the hands to rest,
11 (FF)and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
12 (FG)A worthless person, a wicked man,
goes about with (FH)crooked speech,
13 (FI)winks with his eyes, signals[s] with his feet,
points with his finger,
14 with (FJ)perverted heart (FK)devises evil,
continually (FL)sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
(FM)in a moment he will be broken (FN)beyond healing.
16 There are (FO)six things that the Lord hates,
(FP)seven that are an abomination to him:
17 (FQ)haughty eyes, (FR)a lying tongue,
and (FS)hands that shed innocent blood,
18 (FT)a heart that devises wicked plans,
(FU)feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 (FV)a false witness who (FW)breathes out lies,
and one who (FX)sows discord among brothers.
Warnings Against Adultery
20 (FY)My son, keep your father's commandment,
(FZ)and forsake not your mother's teaching.
21 (GA)Bind them on your heart always;
(GB)tie them around your neck.
22 (GC)When you walk, they[t] will lead you;
(GD)when you lie down, they will (GE)watch over you;
and when you awake, they will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is (GF)a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the (GG)reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
24 to preserve you from the evil woman,[u]
from the smooth tongue of (GH)the adulteress.[v]
25 (GI)Do not desire her beauty in your heart,
and do not let her capture you with her (GJ)eyelashes;
26 for (GK)the price of a prostitute is only (GL)a loaf of bread,[w]
but a married woman[x] (GM)hunts down a precious life.
27 Can a man carry (GN)fire next to his (GO)chest
and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one (GP)walk on hot coals
and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife;
none who touches her (GQ)will go unpunished.
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals
to (GR)satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,
31 but (GS)if he is caught, he will pay (GT)sevenfold;
he will give all the goods of his house.
32 He who commits adultery lacks sense;
he who does it destroys himself.
33 He will get wounds and dishonor,
and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 For (GU)jealousy makes a man furious,
and he will not spare when (GV)he takes revenge.
35 He will accept no compensation;
he will refuse though you multiply gifts.
Warning Against the Adulteress
7 (GW)My son, keep my words
and (GX)treasure up my commandments with you;
2 (GY)keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as (GZ)the apple of your eye;
3 (HA)bind them on your fingers;
(HB)write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from (HC)the forbidden[y] woman,
from (HD)the adulteress[z] with her smooth words.
6 For at (HE)the window of my house
I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among (HF)the simple,
I have perceived among the youths,
a young man (HG)lacking sense,
8 passing along the street (HH)near her corner,
taking the road to her house
9 in (HI)the twilight, in the evening,
at (HJ)the time of night and darkness.
10 And behold, the woman meets him,
(HK)dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.[aa]
11 She is (HL)loud and (HM)wayward;
(HN)her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
and (HO)at every corner she (HP)lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
and with (HQ)bold face she says to him,
14 “I had to (HR)offer sacrifices,[ab]
and today I have (HS)paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with (HT)coverings,
colored linens from (HU)Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with (HV)myrrh,
aloes, and (HW)cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For (HX)my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him;
at full moon he will come home.”
21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with (HY)her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast[ac]
23 till an arrow pierces its liver;
as (HZ)a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.
24 And (IA)now, O sons, listen to me,
and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
do not stray into her paths,
26 for many a victim has she laid low,
and all her slain are (IB)a mighty throng.
27 Her house is (IC)the way to Sheol,
going down to the chambers of death.
The Blessings of Wisdom
8 Does not (ID)wisdom call?
Does not (IE)understanding raise her voice?
2 On (IF)the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside (IG)the gates in front of (IH)the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O (II)men, I call,
and my cry is to (IJ)the children of man.
5 O (IK)simple ones, learn (IL)prudence;
O (IM)fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak (IN)noble things,
and from my lips will come (IO)what is right,
7 for my (IP)mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing (IQ)twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all (IR)straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 (IS)Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 (IT)for wisdom is better than jewels,
and (IU)all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and (IV)discretion.
13 (IW)The fear of the Lord is (IX)hatred of evil.
(IY)Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and (IZ)perverted speech I hate.
14 I have (JA)counsel and (JB)sound wisdom;
I have insight; (JC)I have strength.
15 By me (JD)kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.[ad]
17 (JE)I love those who love me,
and (JF)those who seek me diligently find me.
18 (JG)Riches and honor are with me,
(JH)enduring wealth and (JI)righteousness.
19 My fruit is (JJ)better than (JK)gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than (JL)choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 (JM)“The Lord (JN)possessed[ae] me at the beginning of his work,[af]
the first of his acts (JO)of old.
23 Ages ago I was (JP)set up,
at the first, (JQ)before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no (JR)depths I was (JS)brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains (JT)had been shaped,
(JU)before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he (JV)established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew (JW)a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he (JX)made firm the skies above,
when he established[ag] the fountains of the deep,
29 when he (JY)assigned to the sea its (JZ)limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out (KA)the foundations of the earth,
30 then (KB)I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his[ah] (KC)delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 (KD)rejoicing in his (KE)inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
32 “And now, (KF)O sons, listen to me:
(KG)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 (KH)Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 (KI)Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For (KJ)whoever finds me (KK)finds life
and (KL)obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me (KM)injures himself;
all who (KN)hate me (KO)love death.”
The Way of Wisdom
9 (KP)Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her (KQ)seven (KR)pillars.
2 She has (KS)slaughtered her beasts; she has (KT)mixed her wine;
she has also (KU)set her table.
3 She has (KV)sent out her young women to (KW)call
from (KX)the highest places in the town,
4 (KY)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
(KZ)To him who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, (LA)eat of my bread
and (LB)drink of (LC)the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave (LD)your simple ways,[ai] and (LE)live,
(LF)and walk in the way of insight.”
7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8 (LG)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
(LH)reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction[aj] to a wise man, and he will be (LI)still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will (LJ)increase in learning.
10 (LK)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and (LL)the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me (LM)your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
12 (LN)If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
The Way of Folly
13 (LO)The woman Folly is (LP)loud;
she is seductive[ak] and (LQ)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on (LR)the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who are (LS)going straight on their way,
16 (LT)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 (LU)“Stolen water is sweet,
and (LV)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know (LW)that the dead[al] are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
The Proverbs of Solomon
10 (LX)The proverbs of Solomon.
(LY)A wise son makes a glad father,
(LZ)but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
2 (MA)Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
(MB)but righteousness delivers from death.
3 (MC)The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
(MD)but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4 A slack hand (ME)causes poverty,
(MF)but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who (MG)gathers in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is (MH)a son who brings shame.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but (MI)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.[am]
7 (MJ)The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but (MK)the name of the wicked will rot.
8 (ML)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 (MM)Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who makes his ways crooked (MN)will be found out.
10 Whoever (MO)winks the eye causes trouble,
and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 (MP)The mouth of the righteous is (MQ)a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked (MR)conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
but (MS)love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
but (MT)a rod is for the back of him who (MU)lacks sense.
14 The wise (MV)lay up knowledge,
but (MW)the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
15 (MX)A rich man's wealth is his strong city;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
16 The wage of the righteous leads (MY)to life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 Whoever heeds instruction is on (MZ)the path to life,
but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
19 (NA)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
(NB)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is (NC)choice silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for (ND)lack of sense.
22 (NE)The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.[an]
23 Doing wrong is (NF)like a joke to a fool,
but (NG)wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
24 (NH)What the wicked dreads (NI)will come upon him,
but (NJ)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When (NK)the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
but (NL)the righteous is established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 (NM)The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
(NN)but the years of the wicked will be short.
28 (NO)The hope of the righteous brings joy,
(NP)but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 (NQ)The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
but destruction to evildoers.
30 (NR)The righteous will never be removed,
but (NS)the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 (NT)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous (NU)know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, (NV)what is perverse.
11 (NW)A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
(NX)but a just weight is his delight.
2 (NY)When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with (NZ)the humble is wisdom.
3 (OA)The integrity of the upright guides them,
(OB)but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 (OC)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
(OD)but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless (OE)keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
6 (OF)The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous (OG)are taken captive by their lust.
7 When the wicked dies, his (OH)hope will perish,
and (OI)the expectation of wealth[ao] perishes too.
8 (OJ)The righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked walks into it instead.
9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
10 (OK)When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but (OL)by the mouth of the wicked (OM)it is overthrown.
12 Whoever (ON)belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent.
13 Whoever (OO)goes about slandering reveals secrets,
but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
14 Where there is (OP)no guidance, a people falls,
(OQ)but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
15 (OR)Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm,
but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
16 (OS)A gracious woman gets honor,
and (OT)violent men get riches.
17 (OU)A man who is kind benefits himself,
but a cruel man hurts himself.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:4 Or repute
- Proverbs 3:8 Hebrew navel
- Proverbs 3:8 Or medicine
- Proverbs 3:25 Hebrew storm
- Proverbs 3:27 Hebrew Do not withhold good from its owners
- Proverbs 3:34 Or grace
- Proverbs 3:35 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- Proverbs 4:1 Hebrew know
- Proverbs 4:22 Hebrew his
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
- Proverbs 5:3 Hebrew strange; also verse 20
- Proverbs 5:3 Hebrew palate
- Proverbs 5:5 Hebrew lay hold of
- Proverbs 5:19 Hebrew be led astray; also verse 20
- Proverbs 5:20 Hebrew a foreign woman
- Proverbs 5:21 Or makes level
- Proverbs 6:3 Or humble yourself
- Proverbs 6:5 Hebrew lacks of the hunter
- Proverbs 6:13 Hebrew scrapes
- Proverbs 6:22 Hebrew it; three times in this verse
- Proverbs 6:24 Revocalization (compare Septuagint) yields from the wife of a neighbor
- Proverbs 6:24 Hebrew the foreign woman
- Proverbs 6:26 Or (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate) for a prostitute leaves a man with nothing but a loaf of bread
- Proverbs 6:26 Hebrew a man's wife
- Proverbs 7:5 Hebrew strange
- Proverbs 7:5 Hebrew the foreign woman
- Proverbs 7:10 Hebrew guarded in heart
- Proverbs 7:14 Hebrew peace offerings
- Proverbs 7:22 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew as a chain to discipline a fool
- Proverbs 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
- Proverbs 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created
- Proverbs 8:22 Hebrew way
- Proverbs 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:30 Or daily filled with
- Proverbs 9:6 Or Leave the company of the simple
- Proverbs 9:9 Hebrew lacks instruction
- Proverbs 9:13 Or full of simpleness
- Proverbs 9:18 Hebrew Rephaim
- Proverbs 10:6 Or but violence covers the mouth of the wicked; also verse 11
- Proverbs 10:22 Or and toil adds nothing to it
- Proverbs 11:7 Or of his strength, or of iniquity
Proverbs 3:1-11:17
New International Version
Proverbs 3:1-11:17
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.
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
4 Listen, my sons,(BE) to a father’s instruction;(BF)
pay attention and gain understanding.(BG)
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold(BH) of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.(BI)
5 Get wisdom,(BJ) get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(BK)
love her, and she will watch over you.(BL)
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[c] wisdom.
Though it cost all(BM) you have,[d] get understanding.(BN)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.(BO)
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.(BP)”
10 Listen, my son,(BQ) accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.(BR)
11 I instruct(BS) you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.(BT)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.(BU)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.(BV)
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.(BW)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(BX)
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.(BY)
18 The path of the righteous(BZ) is like the morning sun,(CA)
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(CB)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(CC)
they do not know what makes them stumble.(CD)
20 My son,(CE) pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.(CF)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(CG)
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.(CH)
23 Above all else, guard(CI) your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.(CJ)
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes(CK) look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[e] paths for your feet(CL)
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;(CM)
keep your foot from evil.
Warning Against Adultery
5 My son,(CN) pay attention to my wisdom,
turn your ear to my words(CO) of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;(CP)
4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,(CQ)
sharp as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.(CR)
6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.(CS)
7 Now then, my sons, listen(CT) to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.
8 Keep to a path far from her,(CU)
do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you lose your honor to others
and your dignity[f] to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
and your toil enrich the house of another.(CV)
11 At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!(CW)
13 I would not obey my teachers
or turn my ear to my instructors.
14 And I was soon in serious trouble(CX)
in the assembly of God’s people.”(CY)
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain(CZ) be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.(DA)
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer(DB)—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
21 For your ways are in full view(DC) of the Lord,
and he examines(DD) all your paths.(DE)
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;(DF)
the cords of their sins hold them fast.(DG)
23 For lack of discipline they will die,(DH)
led astray by their own great folly.(DI)
Warnings Against Folly
6 My son,(DJ) if you have put up security(DK) for your neighbor,(DL)
if you have shaken hands in pledge(DM) for a stranger,
2 you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—[g]
and give your neighbor no rest!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.(DN)
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle(DO) from the hand of the hunter,(DP)
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.(DQ)
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;(DR)
consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer(DS)
and gathers its food at harvest.(DT)
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?(DU)
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest(DV)—
11 and poverty(DW) will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.
12 A troublemaker and a villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 who winks maliciously with his eye,(DX)
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,(DY)
14 who plots evil(DZ) with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up conflict.(EA)
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;(EB)
he will suddenly(EC) be destroyed—without remedy.(ED)
16 There are six things the Lord hates,(EE)
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,(EF)
a lying tongue,(EG)
hands that shed innocent blood,(EH)
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,(EI)
19 a false witness(EJ) who pours out lies(EK)
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.(EL)
Warning Against Adultery
20 My son,(EM) keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(EN)
21 Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.(EO)
22 When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,(EP)
and correction and instruction
are the way to life,(EQ)
24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.(ER)
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
but another man’s wife preys on your very life.(ES)
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps(ET) with another man’s wife;(EU)
no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,(EV)
though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery(EW) has no sense;(EX)
whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot,
and his shame will never(EY) be wiped away.
34 For jealousy(EZ) arouses a husband’s fury,(FA)
and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation;
he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.(FB)
Warning Against the Adulterous Woman
7 My son,(FC) keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live;(FD)
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.(FE)
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.(FF)
6 At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.(FG)
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight,(FH) as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly(FI) and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)(FJ)
13 She took hold of him(FK) and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:(FL)
14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering(FM) at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed(FN)
with myrrh,(FO) aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!(FP)
19 My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.(FQ)
22 All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer[h] stepping into a noose[i](FR)
23 till an arrow pierces(FS) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.(FT)
24 Now then, my sons, listen(FU) to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.(FV)
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.(FW)
Wisdom’s Call
8 Does not wisdom call out?(FX)
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:(FY)
4 “To you, O people, I call out;(FZ)
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple,(GA) gain prudence;(GB)
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[j]
6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,(GC)
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,(GD)
11 for wisdom is more precious(GE) than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.(GF)
12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.(GG)
13 To fear the Lord(GH) is to hate evil;(GI)
I hate(GJ) pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have power.(GK)
15 By me kings reign
and rulers(GL) issue decrees that are just;
16 by me princes govern,(GM)
and nobles—all who rule on earth.[k]
17 I love those who love me,(GN)
and those who seek me find me.(GO)
18 With me are riches and honor,(GP)
enduring wealth and prosperity.(GQ)
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;(GR)
what I yield surpasses choice silver.(GS)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,(GT)
along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.(GU)
22 “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,[l][m]
before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;(GV)
25 before the mountains were settled in place,(GW)
before the hills, I was given birth,(GX)
26 before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.(GY)
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,(GZ)
when he marked out the horizon(HA) on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above(HB)
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,(HC)
29 when he gave the sea its boundary(HD)
so the waters would not overstep his command,(HE)
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.(HF)
30 Then I was constantly[n] at his side.(HG)
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.(HH)
32 “Now then, my children, listen(HI) to me;
blessed are(HJ) those who keep my ways.(HK)
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen(HL) to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me(HM) find life(HN)
and receive favor from the Lord.(HO)
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;(HP)
all who hate me love death.”(HQ)
Invitations of Wisdom and Folly
9 Wisdom has built(HR) her house;
she has set up[o] its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;(HS)
she has also set her table.(HT)
3 She has sent out her servants, and she calls(HU)
from the highest point of the city,(HV)
4 “Let all who are simple(HW) come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(HX) she says,
5 “Come,(HY) eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.(HZ)
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live;(IA)
walk in the way of insight.”(IB)
7 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.(IC)
8 Do not rebuke mockers(ID) or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.(IE)
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.(IF)
10 The fear of the Lord(IG) is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One(IH) is understanding.(II)
11 For through wisdom[p] your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.(IJ)
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
13 Folly is an unruly woman;(IK)
she is simple and knows nothing.(IL)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,(IM)
15 calling out(IN) to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way,
16 “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense(IO) she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!(IP)”
18 But little do they know that the dead are there,
that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.(IQ)
Proverbs of Solomon
10 The proverbs(IR) of Solomon:(IS)
A wise son brings joy to his father,(IT)
but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
5 He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.(JA)
6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[q](JB)
7 The name of the righteous(JC) is used in blessings,[r]
but the name of the wicked(JD) will rot.(JE)
8 The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(JF)
9 Whoever walks in integrity(JG) walks securely,(JH)
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.(JI)
10 Whoever winks maliciously(JJ) causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(JK)
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(JL)
12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
but love covers over all wrongs.(JM)
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(JN)
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(JO)
17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,(JV)
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(JW)
and spreads slander is a fool.
19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
but the prudent hold their tongues.(JX)
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of sense.(JY)
23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,(KC)
but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.
28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.(KM)
29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.(KN)
30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.(KO)
31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(KP)
but a perverse tongue(KQ) will be silenced.
32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,(KR)
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.(KS)
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.(KX)
5 The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,(LB)
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.(LC)
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.(LD)
7 Hopes placed in mortals die with them;(LE)
all the promise of[s] their power comes to nothing.(LF)
8 The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.(LG)
9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.(LH)
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;(LI)
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.(LJ)
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,(LK)
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.(LL)
12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,(LM)
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.(LN)
15 Whoever puts up security(LS) for a stranger will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.(LT)
16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,(LU)
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
- Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child
- Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
- Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
- Proverbs 5:9 Or years
- Proverbs 6:3 Or Go and humble yourself,
- Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
- Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
- Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
- Proverbs 8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
- Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
- Proverbs 8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
- Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child
- Proverbs 9:1 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew has hewn out
- Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me
- Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
- Proverbs 10:7 See Gen. 48:20.
- Proverbs 11:7 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum When the wicked die, their hope perishes; / all they expected from
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