Proverbs 3

Chapter 3

The Rewards of Wisdom

¹My son, ^ado not forget my ¹teaching,

But let your heart ^bkeep my commandments;

²For ^alength of days and years of life

And peace they will add to you.

³Do not let ^akindness and truth leave you;

^bBind them around your neck,

^cWrite them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴So you will ^afind favor and ^bgood ¹repute

In the sight of God and man.

^5aTrust in the Lord with all your heart

And ^bdo not lean on your own understanding.

⁶In all your ways ^aacknowledge Him,

And He will ^bmake your paths straight.

^7aDo not be wise in your own eyes;

^bFear the Lord and turn away from evil.

⁸It will be ^ahealing to your ¹body

And ^brefreshment to your bones.

^9aHonor the Lord from your wealth

And from the ^bfirst of all your produce;

¹⁰So your ^abarns will be filled with plenty

And your ^bvats will overflow with new wine.

^11aMy son, do not reject the ¹discipline of the Lord

Or loathe His reproof,

¹²For ^awhom the Lord loves He reproves,

Even ^bas a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

^13aHow blessed is the man who finds wisdom

And the man who gains understanding.

¹⁴For her ^aprofit is better than the profit of silver

And her gain better than fine gold.

¹⁵She is ^amore precious than ¹jewels;

And nothing you desire compares with her.

^161aLong life is in her right hand;

In her left hand are ^briches and honor.

¹⁷Her ^aways are pleasant ways

And all her paths are ^bpeace.

¹⁸She is a ^atree of life to those who take hold of her,

And happy are all who hold her fast.

¹⁹The Lord ^aby wisdom founded the earth,

By understanding He ^bestablished the heavens.

²⁰By His knowledge the ^adeeps were broken up

And the ^bskies drip with dew.

²¹My son, ^alet them not ¹vanish from your sight;

Keep sound wisdom and discretion,

²²So they will be ^alife to your soul

And ^badornment to your neck.

²³Then you will ^awalk in your way securely

And your foot will not ^bstumble.

²⁴When you ^alie down, you will not be afraid;

When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

^25aDo not be afraid of sudden fear

Nor of the ^1bonslaught of the wicked when it comes;

²⁶For the Lord will be ¹your confidence

And will ^akeep your foot from being caught.

^27aDo not withhold good from ¹those to whom it is due,

When it is in your power to do it.

^28aDo not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,

And tomorrow I will give it,”

When you have it with you.

^29aDo not devise harm against your neighbor,

While he lives securely beside you.

^30aDo not contend with a man without cause,

If he has done you no harm.

^31aDo not envy a man of violence

And do not choose any of his ways.

³²For the ^adevious are an abomination to the Lord;

But ¹He is ^bintimate with the upright.

³³The ^acurse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,

But He ^bblesses the dwelling of the righteous.

³⁴Though ^aHe scoffs at the scoffers,

Yet ^bHe gives grace to the afflicted.

^35aThe wise will inherit honor,

But fools ¹display dishonor.