Proverbs 3–4

Wisdom and Piety

3My child, do not forget my instruction,

and may your heart guard my commands.

²For length of days, years of life,

and peace they^a shall add to you.

³May loyal love^b and truth not forsake you;

bind them around your neck,

write them upon your heart.

⁴And you shall find favor and good sense^c

in the eyes of God and humankind.

⁵Trust Yahweh^d with all your heart;

do not lean toward your own understanding.

⁶In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will straighten your paths.

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear Yahweh and retreat from evil.

⁸There shall be healing for your flesh,^e

and refreshment for your body.

⁹Honor Yahweh from your substance,^f

and from the firstfruits of all that will come to you,

¹⁰and your barns shall be full of plenty,

and your vats shall burst with new wine.

Happy Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

¹¹Do not despise the discipline of Yahweh, my child.

Do not be weary of his reproof

¹²because whomever Yahweh will love, he will rebuke,

as a father delights in his son.

¹³Happy is the one^g who finds wisdom,

and one who obtains understanding.

¹⁴For her^h income is better than the income of silver,

and her revenue than that of gold.

¹⁵She is more precious than rubies,

and all your desires shall not compare with her.

¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.

¹⁸She is a tree of life for those who seize her;

those who take hold of her are considered happy.

Role of Wisdom in Creation and Society

¹⁹Yahweh in wisdom founded the earth;

he established the heavens in understanding.

²⁰With his knowledge, depths broke open,

and clouds dropped dew.

²¹My child, may theyⁱ not escape from your sight;^j

may you keep sound wisdom and prudence.

²²They shall be life for your soul^k

and adornment^l for your neck.

²³Then you will walk in the confidence of your ways,

and your foot will not stumble.

²⁴If you sit down, you will not panic,^m

and if you lie down, then your sleep shall be sweet.

²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden panic,ⁿ

or the storm of wickedness that will come.

²⁶Yahweh will be your confidence^o

and guard your foot from capture.

²⁷Do not withhold good from its owner^p

when it is in the power of your hand to do.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor,

“Go and return and tomorrow I will give it,”

when it is with you.^q

²⁹Do not plot harm against your neighbor

who dwells in confidence beside you.

³⁰Do not quarrel with anyone without cause,

when he did not do you harm.

³¹Do not envy a man of violence,

and do not choose any of his ways,

³²for he who is perverse is an abomination of Yahweh,

but those who are upright are his confidence.

³³The curse of Yahweh is on the house of the wicked,

and the abode of the righteous ones he blesses.

³⁴With those who scorn, he is scornful,

but to those who are humble, he gives favor.

³⁵They will inherit the honor of the wise,

but stubborn fools, disgrace.

The Father’s Wisdom

4Children, listen to the instruction of a father,

and be attentive in order to know insight.

²For I have given you good instruction;

do not forsake my teaching.

³When I was a son to my father,

tender and alone before my mother,

⁴he taught me and said to me,

“May your heart hold fast to my words;

guard my commandments and live.

⁵Get wisdom and insight;

do not forget and do not turn from the sayings of my mouth.

⁶Do not forsake her—then she will guard you;

love her and she will keep you.

⁷The beginning of wisdom: Get wisdom!

With all that is in your possession, gain insight.

⁸Cherish her and she will exalt you;

she will honor you if you embrace her.

⁹She will give a garland for your head;

she shall bestow a crown of glory upon you.”

The Right Path

¹⁰Listen, my child, take my sayings,

and the years of your life shall be great.

¹¹In the way of wisdom I have instructed you;

I have led you in the path of uprightness.

¹²When you walk,^a your step will not be hampered,

and if you run, you will not stumble.

¹³Seize the instruction! Do not let go!

Guard her, for she is your life.

¹⁴In the path of the wicked do not go;

do not walk in the way of those who do evil.

¹⁵Avoid it; do not transgress it;

turn away from it and pass by.

¹⁶For they will not sleep if they have not done wrong,

and they are robbed of their sleep if they do not cause stumbling.

¹⁷For they ate the bread of wickedness,

and they drank the wine of violence.

¹⁸But the path of the righteous ones is like the light of dawn,

leading and shining until the day is full.^b

¹⁹The way of the wicked ones is like deep darkness;

they do not know what they stumble over.

Staying the Course

²⁰My child, be attentive to my words;

to my sayings incline your ear.

²¹May they not escape from your sight;^c

keep them in the midst of your heart.

²²For they are life to those who find them

and healing to the entire body.^d

²³With all vigilance, keep your heart,

for from it comes the source^e of life.

²⁴Remove from yourself deceitful speech,^f

and abolish devious talk^g from yourself.

²⁵May your eyes look forward^h

and your gaze be straight before you.

²⁶May the path of your foot be balanced

and all your ways be sure.

²⁷Do not swerve right or left;

remove your foot from evil.