Proverbs 3
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.
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 3
New American Standard Bible 1995
The Rewards of Wisdom
3 My son, (A)do not forget my [a]teaching,
But let your heart (B)keep my commandments;
2 For (C)length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Do not let (D)kindness and truth leave 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 [b]repute
In the sight of God and man.
5 (I)Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And (J)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways (K)acknowledge Him,
And He will (L)make your paths straight.
7 (M)Do not be wise in your own eyes;
(N)Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be (O)healing to your [c]body
And (P)refreshment to your bones.
9 (Q)Honor the Lord 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 overflow with new wine.
11 (U)My son, do not reject the [d]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His reproof,
12 For (V)whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even (W)as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
13 (X)How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.
14 For her (Y)profit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold.
15 She is (Z)more precious than [e]jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 [f](AA)Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are (AB)riches and honor.
17 Her (AC)ways are pleasant ways
And all her paths are (AD)peace.
18 She is a (AE)tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who hold her fast.
19 The Lord (AF)by wisdom founded the earth,
By understanding He (AG)established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the (AH)deeps were broken up
And the (AI)skies drip with dew.
21 My son, (AJ)let them not [g]vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be (AK)life to your soul
And (AL)adornment to 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 afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 (AP)Do not be afraid of sudden fear
Nor of the [h](AQ)onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be [i]your confidence
And will (AR)keep your foot from being caught.
27 (AS)Do not withhold good from [j]those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
28 (AT)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.
29 (AU)Do not devise harm against your neighbor,
While he lives securely beside you.
30 (AV)Do not contend with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.
31 (AW)Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the (AX)devious are an abomination to the Lord;
But [k]He is (AY)intimate with the upright.
33 The (AZ)curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But He (BA)blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Though (BB)He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet (BC)He gives grace to the afflicted.
35 (BD)The wise will inherit honor,
But fools [l]display dishonor.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:1 Or law
- Proverbs 3:4 Lit understanding
- Proverbs 3:8 Lit navel
- Proverbs 3:11 Or instruction
- Proverbs 3:15 Lit corals
- Proverbs 3:16 Lit Length of days
- Proverbs 3:21 Lit depart
- Proverbs 3:25 Lit storm
- Proverbs 3:26 Or at your side
- Proverbs 3:27 Lit its owners
- Proverbs 3:32 Lit His private counsel is
- Proverbs 3:35 Lit raise high
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
