The Rewards of Wisdom
3 My son, (A)do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart (B)keep my commandments;
2 For (C)length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Do not let (D)kindness and truth leave you;
(E)Bind them around your neck,
(F)Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will (G)find favor and (H)good repute
In the sight of God and man.
5 (I)Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And (J)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways (K)acknowledge Him,
And He will (L)make your paths straight.
7 (M)Do not be wise in your own eyes;
(N)Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be (O)healing to your body
And (P)refreshment to your bones.
9 (Q)Honor the Lord from your wealth
And from the (R)first of all your produce;
10 So your (S)barns will be filled with plenty
And your (T)vats will overflow with new wine.
11 (U)My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His reproof,
12 For (V)whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even (W)as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
13 (X)How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.
14 For her (Y)profit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold.
15 She is (Z)more precious than jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 (AA)Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are (AB)riches and honor.
17 Her (AC)ways are pleasant ways
And all her paths are (AD)peace.
18 She is a (AE)tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who hold her fast.
19 The Lord (AF)by wisdom founded the earth,
By understanding He (AG)established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the (AH)deeps were broken up
And the (AI)skies drip with dew.
21 My son, (AJ)let them not vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be (AK)life to your soul
And (AL)adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will (AM)walk in your way securely
And your foot will not (AN)stumble.
24 When you (AO)lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 (AP)Do not be afraid of sudden fear
Nor of the (AQ)onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be your confidence
And will (AR)keep your foot from being caught.
27 (AS)Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
28 (AT)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.
29 (AU)Do not devise harm against your neighbor,
While he lives securely beside you.
30 (AV)Do not contend with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.
31 (AW)Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the (AX)devious are an abomination to the Lord;
But He is (AY)intimate with the upright.
33 The (AZ)curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But He (BA)blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Though (BB)He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet (BC)He gives grace to the afflicted.
35 (BD)The wise will inherit honor,
But fools display dishonor.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:1
- Proverbs 3:4
- Proverbs 3:8
- Proverbs 3:11
- Proverbs 3:15
- Proverbs 3:16
- Proverbs 3:21
- Proverbs 3:25
- Proverbs 3:26
- Proverbs 3:27
- Proverbs 3:32
- Proverbs 3:35
Cross references
- Proverbs 3:1 : Ps 119:61; Prov 4:5
- Proverbs 3:1 : Ex 20:6; Deut 30:16
- Proverbs 3:2 : Ps 91:16; Prov 3:16; 4:10; 9:11; 10:27
- Proverbs 3:3 : 2 Sam 15:20; Prov 14:22
- Proverbs 3:3 : Deut 6:8; 11:18; Prov 1:9; 6:21
- Proverbs 3:3 : Prov 7:3; Jer 17:1; 2 Cor 3:3
- Proverbs 3:4 : 1 Sam 2:26; Prov 8:35; Luke 2:52
- Proverbs 3:4 : Ps 111:10
- Proverbs 3:5 : Ps 37:3, 5; Prov 22:19
- Proverbs 3:5 : Prov 23:4; Jer 9:23
- Proverbs 3:6 : 1 Chr 28:9; Prov 16:3; Phil 4:6; James 1:5
- Proverbs 3:6 : Is 45:13; Jer 10:23
- Proverbs 3:7 : Rom 12:16
- Proverbs 3:7 : Job 1:1; 28:28; Prov 8:13; 16:6
- Proverbs 3:8 : Prov 4:22
- Proverbs 3:8 : Job 21:24
- Proverbs 3:9 : Is 43:23
- Proverbs 3:9 : Ex 23:19; Deut 26:2; Mal 3:10
- Proverbs 3:10 : Deut 28:8
- Proverbs 3:10 : Joel 2:24
- Proverbs 3:11 : Job 5:17; Heb 12:5, 6
- Proverbs 3:12 : Rev 3:19
- Proverbs 3:12 : Deut 8:5; Prov 13:24
- Proverbs 3:13 : Prov 8:32, 34
- Proverbs 3:14 : Job 28:15-19; Prov 8:10, 19; 16:16
- Proverbs 3:15 : Job 28:18; Prov 8:11
- Proverbs 3:16 : Prov 3:2
- Proverbs 3:16 : Prov 8:18; 22:4
- Proverbs 3:17 : Matt 11:29
- Proverbs 3:17 : Ps 119:165; Prov 16:7
- Proverbs 3:18 : Gen 2:9; Prov 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Rev 2:7
- Proverbs 3:19 : Ps 104:24; Prov 8:27
- Proverbs 3:19 : Prov 8:27, 28
- Proverbs 3:20 : Gen 7:11
- Proverbs 3:20 : Deut 33:28; Job 36:28
- Proverbs 3:21 : Prov 4:21
- Proverbs 3:22 : Deut 32:47; Prov 4:22; 8:35; 16:22; 21:21
- Proverbs 3:22 : Prov 1:9
- Proverbs 3:23 : Prov 4:12; 10:9
- Proverbs 3:23 : Ps 91:12; Is 5:27; 63:13
- Proverbs 3:24 : Job 11:19; Ps 3:5; Prov 1:33; 6:22
- Proverbs 3:25 : Ps 91:5; 1 Pet 3:14
- Proverbs 3:25 : Job 5:21
- Proverbs 3:26 : 1 Sam 2:9
- Proverbs 3:27 : Rom 13:7; Gal 6:10
- Proverbs 3:28 : Lev 19:13; Deut 24:15
- Proverbs 3:29 : Prov 6:14; 14:22
- Proverbs 3:30 : Prov 26:17; Rom 12:18
- Proverbs 3:31 : Ps 37:1; Prov 24:1
- Proverbs 3:32 : Prov 11:20
- Proverbs 3:32 : Job 29:4; Ps 25:14
- Proverbs 3:33 : Lev 26:14, 16; Deut 11:28; Zech 5:3, 4; Mal 2:2
- Proverbs 3:33 : Job 8:6; Ps 1:3
- Proverbs 3:34 : James 4:6
- Proverbs 3:34 : 1 Pet 5:5
- Proverbs 3:35 : Dan 12:3
