Proverbs 3
Legacy Standard Bible
Trust, Fear, and Honor Yahweh
3 My son, (A)do not forget my [a]law,
But let your heart (B)guard my commandments;
2 For (C)length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Do not let (D)lovingkindness and truth forsake you;
(E)Bind them around your neck,
(F)Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will (G)find favor and (H)good insight
In the eyes of God and man.
5 (I)Trust in Yahweh with all your heart
And (J)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways [b](K)acknowledge Him,
And He will (L)make your paths straight.
7 (M)Do not be wise in your own eyes;
(N)Fear Yahweh and turn away from evil.
8 It will be (O)healing to your [c]body
And (P)refreshment to your bones.
9 (Q)Honor Yahweh from your wealth
And from the (R)first of all your produce;
10 So your (S)barns will be filled with plenty
And your (T)vats will burst with new wine.
11 (U)My son, do not reject the [d]discipline of Yahweh
Or loathe His reproof,
12 For (V)whom Yahweh loves He reproves,
Even (W)as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
13 (X)How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who obtains discernment.
14 For her (Y)profit is better than the profit of silver
And her produce better than fine gold.
15 She is (Z)more precious than [e]pearls;
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 (AA)Length of days is in her right hand;
In her left hand are (AB)riches and glory.
17 Her (AC)ways are pleasant ways
And all her pathways are (AD)peace.
18 She is a (AE)tree of life to those who seize her,
And all those who hold her fast are blessed.
19 Yahweh (AF)by wisdom founded the earth,
By discernment He (AG)established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the (AH)deeps were split up
And the (AI)skies drip with dew.
21 My son, (AJ)let them not deviate from your eyes;
Guard sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be (AK)life for your soul
And (AL)grace for your neck.
23 Then you will (AM)walk in your way securely
And your foot will not (AN)stumble.
24 When you (AO)lie down, you will not be in dread;
You will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.
25 (AP)Do not be afraid of sudden dread
Nor of the (AQ)storm of the wicked when it comes;
26 For Yahweh will be [f]your confidence
And will (AR)keep your foot from being caught.
27 (AS)Do not withhold good from [g]those to whom it is due,
When it is in your hand to do it.
28 (AT)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When it is there with you.
29 (AU)Do not devise [h]harm against your neighbor,
While he lives securely beside you.
30 (AV)Do not contend with a man without cause,
If he has dealt you no [i]harm.
31 (AW)Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the (AX)devious one is an abomination to Yahweh;
But His (AY)secret council is with the upright.
33 The (AZ)curse of Yahweh is on the house of the wicked one,
But He (BA)blesses the abode of the righteous.
34 Though (BB)He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet (BC)He gives grace to the humble.
35 (BD)The wise will inherit glory,
But [j]fools raise up disgrace.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:1 Or instruction
- Proverbs 3:6 Lit know
- Proverbs 3:8 Lit navel
- Proverbs 3:11 Or instruction
- Proverbs 3:15 Or corals
- Proverbs 3:26 Or at your side
- Proverbs 3:27 Lit its owners
- Proverbs 3:29 Lit evil
- Proverbs 3:30 Lit evil
- Proverbs 3:35 Or He raises fools up in dishonor
Proverbs 3
Evangelical Heritage Version
Third Address to a Son:
Wisdom Leads to the Lord’s Blessing
3 My son, do not forget my teaching.
Let your heart keep my commands,
2 because they will add long days and many years to your life,
and peace and prosperity[a] will come to you.
3 Do not allow mercy and truth to leave you.
Fasten them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will find favor and approval[b]
in the eyes of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not consider yourself wise.
Fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 Then your body[c] will be healed,
and your bones will be refreshed.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits from your entire harvest.
10 Then your barns will be filled to capacity,
and your wine vats will overflow with fresh wine.
11 Do not reject the Lord’s discipline, my son,
and do not despise his warning,
12 because the Lord warns[d] the one he loves
as a father warns a son with whom he is pleased.
13 How blessed is the person who finds wisdom,[e]
the person who acquires understanding,
14 because the profit it gives is better than the profit from silver,
and its yield is better than gold!
15 It is more valuable than gems,[f]
and nothing you desire can equal it.
16 In its right hand are the days of a long life.
In its left hand are riches and honor.
17 Its ways are pleasant ways,
and all its paths are peace.
18 It is a tree of life for those who hold on to it.
Those who cling to it are blessed.
19 The Lord founded the earth by wisdom.
He established the heavens by understanding.
20 By his knowledge the deep waters were divided,
and the clouds drip dew.
21 My son, do not take your eyes off these things.
Guard sound judgment and insight.
22 They will be life for your soul
and grace to adorn your neck.
23 Then you will walk safely on your way,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid.
When you lie down, your sleep will be pleasant.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
nor of the destruction of the wicked when it comes,
26 because the Lord will be your confidence.
He will keep your foot from being caught.
Fourth Address to a Son:
Practice Wisdom Toward Your Neighbor
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due
when it is within your power to give it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Go away! Come back some other time.
I will give something to you tomorrow,”
when in fact it is already with you right now.
29 Do not plan harm against your neighbor
when he is living with you peacefully.
30 Do not quarrel with a person for no good reason
when he has done nothing to harm you.
31 Do not envy a violent person.
Do not choose any of his ways,
32 because a crooked person is an abomination[g] to the Lord,
but God’s friendly guidance leads[h] the upright.
33 The Lord’s curse rests on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 Although he scorns the scornful,
he gives grace to the humble.
35 Wise people inherit honor,
but proud fools receive disgrace.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:2 The Hebrew word shalom here contains both meanings.
- Proverbs 3:4 Literally good understanding
- Proverbs 3:8 Literally navel
- Proverbs 3:12 Or disciplines
- Proverbs 3:13 Or Wisdom. An issue throughout Proverbs 1-9 is when wisdom should be capitalized as the personal name of Lady Wisdom and when it is the common noun. Most translations do not capitalize wisdom in verses like verse 13 because of the parallelism with understanding. This decision also determines whether the English pronouns should be she or it. In Hebrew the noun for wisdom is feminine, so the pronouns in Hebrew are always feminine.
- Proverbs 3:15 The meaning of this word is uncertain. It may refer to a specific gemstone, such as rubies or red coral.
- Proverbs 3:32 Or is disgusting or is repulsive
- Proverbs 3:32 Or intimate counsel guides
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