Proverbs 3–4

Trust the Lord

3My son, don’t forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commands; ^s

²for they will bring you

many days, a full life, ^tuand well-being. ^v

³Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.

Tie them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart. ^w

⁴Then you will find favor and high regard

in the sight of God and man. ^x

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, ^y

and do not rely on your own understanding; ^z

⁶think about Him in all your ways,

and He will guide you on the right paths. ^ab

⁷Don’t consider yourself to be wise; ^c

fear the Lord and turn away from evil. ^d

⁸This will be healing for your body ^ef

and strengthening for your bones. ^g

⁹Honor the Lord with your possessions

and with the first produce of your entire harvest; ^h

¹⁰then your barns will be completely filled,

and your vats will overflow with new wine. ⁱ

¹¹Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,

and do not loathe His discipline; ^j

¹²for the Lord disciplines the one He loves,

just as a father, the son he delights in. ^k

Wisdom Brings Happiness

¹³Happy is a man who finds wisdom ^l

and who acquires understanding,

¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver,

and her revenue is better than gold. ^m

¹⁵She is more precious than jewels; ⁿ

nothing you desire compares with her. ^o

¹⁶Long life ^pis in her right hand;

in her left, riches and honor. ^q

¹⁷Her ways are pleasant, ^r

and all her paths, peaceful.

¹⁸She is a tree of life ^sto those who embrace her,

and those who hold on to her are happy.

¹⁹The Lord founded the earth by wisdom ^t

and established the heavens by understanding.

²⁰By His knowledge the watery depths broke open, ^u

and the clouds dripped with dew. ^v

²¹Maintain your competence and discretion.

My son, don’t lose sight of them. ^w

²²They will be life for you ^xyz

and adornment ^afor your neck.

²³Then you will go safely on your way;

your foot will not stumble. ^b

²⁴When you lie ^cdown, you will not be afraid; ^d

you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.

²⁵Don’t fear sudden danger

or the ruin of the wicked when it comes, ^e

²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence ^f

and will keep your foot from a snare. ^g

Treat Others Fairly

²⁷When it is in your power, ^h

don’t withhold good ⁱfrom the one it belongs to.

²⁸Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later.

I’ll give it tomorrow”—when it is there with you. ^j

²⁹Don’t plan any harm against your neighbor, ^k

for he trusts you and lives near you.

³⁰Don’t accuse anyone without cause, ^l

when he has done you no harm.

³¹Don’t envy a violent man ^m

or choose any of his ways;

³²for the devious are detestable to the Lord,

but He is a friend ⁿto the upright. ^o

³³The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked, ^p

but He blesses the home of the righteous;

³⁴He mocks those who mock,

but gives grace to the humble. ^q

³⁵The wise will inherit honor,

but He holds up fools to dishonor. ^r

A Father’s Example

4Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline, ^s

and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,

²for I am giving you good instruction. ^t

Don’t abandon my teaching.

³When I was a son with my father,

tender and precious to my mother,

⁴he taught me and said:

“Your heart must hold on to my words.

Keep my commands and live. ^u

⁵Get wisdom, get understanding; ^v

don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.

⁶Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;

love her, ^wand she will guard you.

⁷Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.

And whatever else you get, get understanding. ^x

⁸Cherish her, and she will exalt you;

if you embrace her, she will honor you. ^y

⁹She will place a garland of grace on your head;

she will give you a crown of beauty.” ^z

Two Ways of Life

¹⁰Listen, my son. Accept my words, ^a

and you will live many years. ^b

¹¹I am teaching you the way of wisdom;

I am guiding you on straight paths. ^c

¹²When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; ^d

when you run, you will not stumble. ^e

¹³Hold on to instruction; don’t let go. ^f

Guard it, for it is your life.

¹⁴Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked; ^g

don’t proceed in the way of evil ones.

¹⁵Avoid it; don’t travel on it.

Turn away from it, and pass it by.

¹⁶For they can’t sleep

unless they have done what is evil;

they are robbed of sleep

unless they make someone stumble. ^h

¹⁷They eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, ⁱ

shining brighter and brighter until midday.

¹⁹But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; ^j

they don’t know what makes them stumble. ^k

The Straight Path

²⁰My son, pay attention to my words;

listen closely to my sayings. ^l

²¹Don’t lose sight of them; ^m

keep them within your heart.

²²For they are life to those who find them,

and health to one’s whole body.

²³Guard your heart above all else, ⁿ

for it is the source of life. ^o

²⁴Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, ^p

and don’t let your lips talk deviously.

²⁵Let your eyes look forward;

fix your gaze ^qstraight ahead. ^r

²⁶Carefully consider the path ^sfor your feet, ^t

and all your ways will be established.

²⁷Don’t turn to the right or to the left; ^u

keep your feet away from evil.