Proverbs 3

Listen to Proverbs 3

Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

1 1My son, do not forget my teaching, 2but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for 3length of days and years of life and 4peace they will add to you.
3 Let not 5steadfast love and 6faithfulness forsake you; 7bind them around your neck; 8write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will 9find favor and 10good success[a] in the sight of God and man.
5 11Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and 12do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways 13acknowledge him, and he 14will make straight your paths.
7 15Be not wise in your own eyes; 16fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be 17healing to your flesh[b] and 18refreshment[c] to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with 19the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your 20barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
11 21My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as 22a father the son in whom he delights.

Blessed Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

13 23Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,
14 24for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than 25gold.
15 She is more precious than 26jewels, and 27nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 28Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are 29riches and honor.
17 Her 30ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is 31a tree of life to those who 32lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.
19 33The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding 34he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge 35the deeps broke open, and 36the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, 37do not lose sight of these-- keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be 38life for your soul and 39adornment for your neck.
23 40Then you will walk on your way securely, 41and your foot will not stumble.
24 42If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, 43your sleep will be sweet.
25 44Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of 45the ruin[d] of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will 46keep your foot from being caught.
27 47Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,[e] when it is in your power to do it.
28 48Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it"--when you have it with you.
29 49Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who 50dwells trustingly beside you.
30 51Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
31 52Do not envy 53a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for 54the devious person is an abomination to the LORD, but the upright are 55in his confidence.
33 56The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he 57blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the 58scorners he 59is scornful, 60but to the humble he gives favor.[f]
35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools get[g] disgrace.

Images for Proverbs 3

Cross References 60

  • 1. See Proverbs 1:8
  • 2. Deuteronomy 8:1; Deuteronomy 30:16, 20
  • 3. ver. 16; Proverbs 4:10; Proverbs 9:11; Proverbs 10:27; See Psalms 91:16
  • 4. Proverbs 1:33; Psalms 119:165
  • 5. [Psalms 85:10]
  • 6. [Proverbs 20:28; Isaiah 59:14]
  • 7. [Proverbs 1:9; Proverbs 6:21; Proverbs 7:3]
  • 8. Proverbs 7:3; [Jeremiah 17:1; 2 Corinthians 3:3]
  • 9. [1 Samuel 2:26; Luke 2:52; Romans 14:18]
  • 10. See Psalms 111:10
  • 11. Psalms 37:3, 5
  • 12. [Jeremiah 9:23]
  • 13. 1 Chronicles 28:9
  • 14. [Psalms 73:24]
  • 15. [Romans 12:16]; See Proverbs 12:15
  • 16. Job 1:1; Job 28:28
  • 17. [Proverbs 4:22]
  • 18. See Job 21:24
  • 19. Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 26:2
  • 20. Deuteronomy 28:8
  • 21. Cited Hebrews 12:5, 6; See Job 5:17
  • 22. Deuteronomy 8:5; [1 Corinthians 11:32]
  • 23. Proverbs 8:34, 35
  • 24. See Job 28:15-19
  • 25. Proverbs 8:10, 19; Proverbs 16:16; Psalms 19:10
  • 26. Job 28:18
  • 27. Proverbs 8:11
  • 28. ver. 2
  • 29. Proverbs 8:18; Proverbs 22:4
  • 30. [Matthew 11:29, 30]
  • 31. Proverbs 11:30; Proverbs 13:12; Proverbs 15:4; Genesis 2:9; Genesis 3:22; Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:2
  • 32. Proverbs 4:13
  • 33. Proverbs 8:27; Psalms 104:5, 24; Psalms 136:5
  • 34. Proverbs 8:27; Psalms 104:5, 24; Psalms 136:5
  • 35. Genesis 7:11; [Job 38:8]
  • 36. Job 36:28
  • 37. Proverbs 4:21
  • 38. See Proverbs 4:22
  • 39. [Proverbs 1:9]
  • 40. Proverbs 10:9; [Proverbs 28:18; Psalms 91:11]
  • 41. Proverbs 4:12; Psalms 91:12
  • 42. [Proverbs 6:22; Psalms 3:5; Psalms 4:8]; See Job 11:19
  • 43. Jeremiah 31:26
  • 44. [1 Peter 3:14]; See Psalms 91:5
  • 45. [Job 5:21]
  • 46. See 1 Samuel 2:9
  • 47. Galatians 6:10
  • 48. [Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:15]
  • 49. Proverbs 6:14; Proverbs 12:20; Proverbs 14:22
  • 50. [Judges 18:7, 27]
  • 51. [Romans 12:18]
  • 52. See Psalms 37:1
  • 53. Psalms 18:48; Psalms 140:1
  • 54. Proverbs 2:15
  • 55. See Job 29:4
  • 56. Psalms 37:22; Zechariah 5:4; Malachi 2:2; See Leviticus 26:14-39
  • 57. [Job 8:6]
  • 58. See Psalms 1:1
  • 59. [James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; See Psalms 138:6]
  • 60. [James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5]; See Psalms 138:6

Footnotes 7

Proverbs 3 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.