Proverbs 3 - English Standard Version (ESV)

Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

3 (A)My son, do not forget my teaching,
(B)but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for (C)length of days and years of life
and (D)peace they will add to you.

3 Let not (E)steadfast love and (F)faithfulness forsake you;
(G)bind them around your neck;
(H)write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will (I)find favor and (J)good success[a]
in the sight of God and man.

5 (K)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and (L)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways (M)acknowledge him,
and he (N)will make straight your paths.
7 (O)Be not wise in your own eyes;
(P)fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be (Q)healing to your flesh[b]
and (R)refreshment[c] to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with (S)the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your (T)barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11 (U)My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
as (V)a father the son in whom he delights.

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

13 (W)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding,
14 (X)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than (Y)gold.
15 She is more precious than (Z)jewels,
and (AA)nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 (AB)Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are (AC)riches and honor.
17 Her (AD)ways are ways of pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is (AE)a tree of life to those who (AF)lay hold of her;
those who hold her fast are called blessed.

19 (AG)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
by understanding (AH)he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge (AI)the deeps broke open,
and (AJ)the clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, (AK)do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be (AL)life for your soul
and (AM)adornment for your neck.
23 (AN)Then you will walk on your way securely,
(AO)and your foot will not stumble.
24 (AP)If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, (AQ)your sleep will be sweet.
25 (AR)Do not be afraid of sudden terror
or of (AS)the ruin[d] of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
and will (AT)keep your foot from being caught.
27 (AU)Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,[e]
when it is in your power to do it.

28 (AV)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 (AW)Do not plan evil against your neighbor,
who (AX)dwells trustingly beside you.
30 (AY)Do not contend with a man for no reason,
when he has done you no harm.
31 (AZ)Do not envy (BA)a man of violence
and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for (BB)the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
but the upright are (BC)in his confidence.
33 (BD)The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he (BE)blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the (BF)scorners he (BG)is scornful,
(BH)but to the humble he gives favor.[f]
35 The wise will inherit honor,
but fools get[g] disgrace.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:4 Or repute
  2. Proverbs 3:8 Hebrew navel
  3. Proverbs 3:8 Or medicine
  4. Proverbs 3:25 Hebrew storm
  5. Proverbs 3:27 Hebrew Do not withhold good from its owners
  6. Proverbs 3:34 Or grace
  7. Proverbs 3:35 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain

Cross references

  1. Proverbs 3:1 : See ch. 1:8
  2. Proverbs 3:1 : Deut. 8:1; 30:16, 20
  3. Proverbs 3:2 : ver. 16; ch. 4:10; 9:11; 10:27; See Ps. 91:16
  4. Proverbs 3:2 : ch. 1:33; Ps. 119:165
  5. Proverbs 3:3 : [Ps. 85:10]
  6. Proverbs 3:3 : [ch. 20:28; Isa. 59:14]
  7. Proverbs 3:3 : [ch. 1:9; 6:21; 7:3]
  8. Proverbs 3:3 : ch. 7:3; [Jer. 17:1; 2 Cor. 3:3]
  9. Proverbs 3:4 : [1 Sam. 2:26; Luke 2:52; Rom. 14:18]
  10. Proverbs 3:4 : See Ps. 111:10
  11. Proverbs 3:5 : Ps. 37:3, 5
  12. Proverbs 3:5 : [Jer. 9:23]
  13. Proverbs 3:6 : 1 Chr. 28:9
  14. Proverbs 3:6 : [Ps. 73:24]
  15. Proverbs 3:7 : [Rom. 12:16]; See ch. 12:15
  16. Proverbs 3:7 : Job 1:1; 28:28
  17. Proverbs 3:8 : [ch. 4:22]
  18. Proverbs 3:8 : See Job 21:24
  19. Proverbs 3:9 : Ex. 23:19; 34:26; Deut. 26:2
  20. Proverbs 3:10 : Deut. 28:8
  21. Proverbs 3:11 : Cited Heb. 12:5, 6; See Job 5:17
  22. Proverbs 3:12 : Deut. 8:5; [1 Cor. 11:32]
  23. Proverbs 3:13 : ch. 8:34, 35
  24. Proverbs 3:14 : See Job 28:15-19
  25. Proverbs 3:14 : ch. 8:10, 19; 16:16; Ps. 19:10
  26. Proverbs 3:15 : Job 28:18
  27. Proverbs 3:15 : ch. 8:11
  28. Proverbs 3:16 : ver. 2
  29. Proverbs 3:16 : ch. 8:18; 22:4
  30. Proverbs 3:17 : [Matt. 11:29, 30]
  31. Proverbs 3:18 : ch. 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Gen. 2:9; 3:22; Rev. 2:7; 22:2
  32. Proverbs 3:18 : ch. 4:13
  33. Proverbs 3:19 : ch. 8:27; Ps. 104:5, 24; 136:5
  34. Proverbs 3:19 : ch. 8:27; Ps. 104:5, 24; 136:5
  35. Proverbs 3:20 : Gen. 7:11; [Job 38:8]
  36. Proverbs 3:20 : Job 36:28
  37. Proverbs 3:21 : ch. 4:21
  38. Proverbs 3:22 : See ch. 4:22
  39. Proverbs 3:22 : [ch. 1:9]
  40. Proverbs 3:23 : ch. 10:9; [ch. 28:18; Ps. 91:11]
  41. Proverbs 3:23 : ch. 4:12; Ps. 91:12
  42. Proverbs 3:24 : [ch. 6:22; Ps. 3:5; 4:8]; See Job 11:19
  43. Proverbs 3:24 : Jer. 31:26
  44. Proverbs 3:25 : [1 Pet. 3:14]; See Ps. 91:5
  45. Proverbs 3:25 : [Job 5:21]
  46. Proverbs 3:26 : See 1 Sam. 2:9
  47. Proverbs 3:27 : Gal. 6:10
  48. Proverbs 3:28 : [Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15]
  49. Proverbs 3:29 : ch. 6:14; 12:20; 14:22
  50. Proverbs 3:29 : [Judg. 18:7, 27]
  51. Proverbs 3:30 : [Rom. 12:18]
  52. Proverbs 3:31 : See Ps. 37:1
  53. Proverbs 3:31 : Ps. 18:48; 140:1
  54. Proverbs 3:32 : ch. 2:15
  55. Proverbs 3:32 : See Job 29:4
  56. Proverbs 3:33 : Ps. 37:22; Zech. 5:4; Mal. 2:2; See Lev. 26:14-39
  57. Proverbs 3:33 : [Job 8:6]
  58. Proverbs 3:34 : See Ps. 1:1
  59. Proverbs 3:34 : [James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5; See Ps. 138:6]
  60. Proverbs 3:34 : [James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5]; See Ps. 138:6

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