Proverbs 3

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Proverbs 3 – New International Version (NIV)

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

  1. My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
  2. for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.
  3. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
  4. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
  5. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
  6. in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.[a]
  7. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
  8. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
  9. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
  10. then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
  11. My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
  12. because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.[b]
  13. Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,
  14. for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
  15. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
  16. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
  17. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
  18. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.
  19. By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;
  20. by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.
  21. My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion;
  22. they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.
  23. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.
  24. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
  25. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
  26. for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.
  27. Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
  28. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you.
  29. Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.
  30. Do not accuse anyone for no reason— when they have done you no harm.
  31. Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.
  32. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence.
  33. The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.
  34. He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
  35. The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame.

Footnotes

a. Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
b. Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Proverbs 3 – King James Version (KJV)

  1. 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.