Proverbs 3
International Children’s Bible
Advice to Children
3 My child, do not forget my teaching.
Keep my commands in mind.
2 Then you will live a long time.
And your life will be successful.
3 Don’t ever stop being kind and truthful.
Let kindness and truth show in all you do.
Write them down in your mind as if on a tablet.
4 Then you will be respected
and pleasing to both God and men.
5 Trust the Lord with all your heart.
Don’t depend on your own understanding.
6 Remember the Lord in everything 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 by giving him part of your wealth.
Give him 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 become angry when he corrects you.
12 The Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects the child that he likes.
13 Happy is the person who finds wisdom.
And happy is the person 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 want is equal to it.
16 With her right hand wisdom offers you a long life.
With her left hand she gives you riches and honor.
17 Wisdom will make your life pleasant.
It will bring you peace.
18 As a tree makes fruit, wisdom gives life to those who use it.
Everyone who uses wisdom will be happy.
19 Using his wisdom, the Lord made the earth.
Using his understanding, he set the sky in place.
20 Using his knowledge, he made rivers flow from underground springs.
And he made the clouds drop rain on the earth.
21 My child, hold on to wisdom and reason.
Don’t let them out of your sight!
22 They will give you life.
Like a necklace, they will beautify your life.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety.
And you will not get hurt.
24 You won’t need to be afraid when you lie down.
When you lie down, your sleep will be peaceful.
25 You won’t need to be afraid of trouble coming suddenly.
You won’t need to fear the ruin that comes to the wicked.
26 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 to him,
“Come back later. I will give it to you tomorrow.”
29 Don’t make plans to hurt your neighbor.
He lives nearby and trusts you.
30 Don’t accuse a man for no good reason.
Don’t accuse him if he has not harmed you.
31 Don’t be jealous of men 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 put a curse on the evil person’s house.
But he will bless the home of people who do what is right.
34 The Lord laughs at those who laugh at him.
But he is kind to those who are not proud.
35 Wise people will receive honor.
But foolish people will be disgraced.
Proverbs 3
King James Version
3 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26 For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
