Proverbs 3
Expanded Bible
Advice to Children
3 My ·child [L son], do not forget my ·teaching [instruction; law],
but ·keep my commands in mind [L let your heart/mind protect my commands].
2 Then ·you will live a long time,
and your life will be successful [L length of days and years of life and peace will be added to you].
3 Don’t ·ever forget kindness and truth [L let loyalty and faithfulness abandon you].
·Wear [Bind] them ·like a necklace [L on your neck].
Write them on your heart as if on a tablet.
4 Then you will ·be respected [find favor]
and will please both God and people.
5 Trust the Lord with all your heart,
and don’t ·depend [rely] on your own understanding.
6 ·Remember the Lord [L Know him] ·in all you do [L on all your paths],
and he will ·give you success [L keep your roads straight].
7 Don’t ·depend on your own wisdom [L be wise in your own eyes].
·Respect [Fear; Hold in awe] the Lord and ·refuse to do wrong [L turn away from evil].
8 Then your body will be healthy,
and your bones will be ·strong [refreshed].
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 [burst] with new wine.
11 My ·child [L son], do not reject the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t ·get angry [loathe] when he corrects you.
12 The Lord corrects those he loves,
just as ·parents [L fathers] correct the child they delight in.
13 ·Happy [Blessed] is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who ·gets [gains] understanding.
14 ·Wisdom [L Her profit] is worth more than silver;
·it brings more profit [L her yield more] than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than ·rubies [or pearls];
nothing you could want is equal to it.
16 ·With [In] her right hand ·wisdom offers you a long life [L are length of days],
and ·with [in] her left hand ·she gives you [are] riches and honor.
17 ·Wisdom will make your life [L Her paths are] pleasant
and ·will bring you [L her trails are] 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 [L laid the foundations of] the earth, ·using his wisdom [or with Wisdom; 8:22–31].
He set the ·sky [heavens] in place, using his ·understanding [competence].
20 With his knowledge, ·he made springs flow into rivers [L the deeps burst open]
and the clouds drop ·rain on the earth [L dew].
21 My ·child [L son], ·hold on to [protect] ·wisdom [resourcefulness] and ·good sense [discretion].
Don’t let them ·out of your sight [L slip from your eyes].
22 They will give you life
and ·beauty like a necklace [L an ornament] around your neck.
23 Then you will ·go your way [walk on your path; C of life] in safety,
and ·you will not get hurt [L your foot will not stumble].
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 [terror];
you won’t fear the ruin that comes to the wicked,
26 because the Lord will ·keep you safe [be your confidence].
He will ·keep you from being trapped [guard your feet from capture].
27 Whenever you are able,
·do [L do not withhold] good to people who ·need help [or deserve it].
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 [intend evil toward] 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 [L prefer their path; C of life].
32 ·The Lord hates those who do wrong [L The devious are an abomination to the Lord],
but he is a ·friend [confidant] to those who are ·honest [virtuous].
33 The Lord will curse the evil person’s house,
but he will bless the home of ·those who do right [the righteous].
34 The Lord ·laughs at [mocks] those who ·laugh at [mock] him,
but he ·gives grace [shows favor] to ·those who are not proud [the humble].
35 Wise people ·will receive honor [possess glory],
but fools ·will be disgraced [give off/exude shame].
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
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
