Proverbs 3

1 My son, forget thou not my law; and thine heart keep my commandments.

2 For they shall set to thee the length of days, and the years of life, and peace.

3 Mercy and truth forsake thee not; bind thou those to thy throat, and write them in the tables of thine heart. (Let not mercy and truth desert thee; bind thou them about thy neck, and write them on the tablets of thy heart.)

4 And thou shalt find grace (And thou shalt receive favour), and good teaching before God and men.

5 Have thou trust in the Lord, of all thine heart; and lean thou not to thy prudence. (Have thou trust in the Lord, with all thy heart, and lean thou not unto thy own understanding.)

6 In all thy ways think on him, and he shall (ad)dress thy goings. (In all thy ways, or in all thy deeds, think of him, and he shall direct thy steps.)

7 Be thou not wise with thyself; dread thou God, and go away from evil. (Do not think thyself wise; but fear God/but revere God, and go thou away from evil.)

8 For why health shall be in thy navel, and moisting of thy bones. (For that shall be health for thy body, or thy entrails, and moistening for thy bones.)

9 Honour thou the Lord of thy chattel, and of the best of all thy fruits give thou to poor men; (Honour thou the Lord with thy possessions, and with the best of all thy fruits, or of all thy earnings;)

10 and (then) thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy pressers shall flow with wine (and thy winepresses shall flow with wine).

11 My son, cast thou not away the teaching of the Lord; and fail thou not, when thou art chastised of him (and faint thou not/and spurn thou him not, when thou art disciplined by him).

12 For the Lord chastiseth him, whom he loveth; and as a father in the son he pleaseth him (yea, like a father to his son who pleaseth him).

13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and that floweth with prudence. (Blessed is the person who findeth wisdom, and who floweth with understanding.)

14 The getting thereof is better than the merchandise of gold and of silver; the fruits thereof be the first and the cleanest.

15 It is more precious than all riches; and all things that be desired, may not be comparisoned to this (and nothing that is desired, can be compared to it).

16 Length of days is in the right half thereof, and riches and glory be in the left half thereof. (Length of days is in its right hand, and riches and glory be in its left hand.)

17 The ways thereof be fair ways, and all the paths thereof be peaceable. (Its way be fair ways, and all its paths be peaceful.)

18 It is a tree of life to them that take (hold of) it; and he that holdeth (onto) it, is blessed.

19 The Lord founded the earth by (his) wisdom; he stablished (the) heavens by (his) prudence.

20 The depths of waters brake out by his wisdom; and (the) clouds waxed (al)together with dew.

21 My son, these things float not away from thine eyes; keep thou my law, and my counsel; (My son, let not these things float away from thine eyes; keep thou my instructions, and my advice, near to thee;)

22 and life shall be to thy soul, and grace to thy cheeks. (and thou shalt have life, and gain favour.)

23 Then thou shalt go trustily in thy way (Then thou shalt go with trust on thy way); and thy foot shall not stumble.

24 If thou shalt sleep, thou shalt not dread; thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be soft [and sweet shall be thy sleep]. (When thou shalt sleep, thou shalt not fear; thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.)

25 Dread thou not of sudden fear, and the powers of wicked men falling in on thee. (Fear thou not sudden disaster, and the power, or the might, of the wicked falling in upon thee.)

26 For the Lord shall be at thy side; and he shall keep thy foot (safe), that thou be not taken.

27 Do not thou forbid to do well him that may; if thou mayest, also do thou well. (Do not thou forbid anyone to do good who can; and if thou be able, thou do good as well.)

28 Say thou not to thy friend, Go, and turn again, and tomorrow I shall give to thee; when thou mayest give anon. (Say thou not to thy friend, Go away, and return tomorrow, and then I shall give you what you need; when thou can give it to him at once.)

29 Imagine thou not evil to thy friend (Imagine thou not evil against thy friend), when he hath trust in thee.

30 Strive thou not against a man without cause, when he doeth none evil to thee. (Do not thou argue with someone for no reason, when he hath done nothing wrong to thee.)

31 Follow thou not an unjust man (Do not thou follow a law-breaker), follow thou not his ways.

32 For each deceiver is (an) abomination to the Lord; and his speaking is with simple men (and the Lord speaketh to those who be honest, or have integrity).

33 Neediness is sent of the Lord in(to) the house of a wicked man; but the dwelling places of just men shall be blessed. (Neediness is sent by the Lord into the houses of the wicked; but the dwelling places of the righteous shall be blessed.)

34 He shall scorn [the] scorners; and he shall give grace to mild men. (He shall mock the mockers; but he shall give favour to the humble, or to the meek.)

35 Wise men shall have glory; [the] enhancing of fools is shame. (The wise shall receive honour; but fools shall only increase their shame.)

Proverbs 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

Exhortations to obedience and faith. (1-6) To piety, and to improve afflictions. (7-12) To gain wisdom. (13-20) Guidance of Wisdom. (21-26) The wicked and the upright. (27-35)

Verses 1-6 In the way of believing obedience to God's commandments health and peace may commonly be enjoyed; and though our days may not be long upon earth, we shall live for ever in heaven. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; God's mercy in promising, and his truth in performing: live up to them, keep up thine interest in them, and take the comfort of them. We must trust in the Lord with all our hearts, believing he is able and wise to do what is best. Those who know themselves, find their own understandings a broken reed, which, if they lean upon, will fail. Do not design any thing but what is lawful, and beg God to direct thee in every case, though it may seem quite plain. In all our ways that prove pleasant, in which we gain our point, we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge him with submission. It is promised, He shall direct thy paths; so that thy way shall be safe and good, and happy at last.

Verses 7-12 There is not a greater enemy to the fear of the Lord in the heart, than self-conceit of our own wisdom. The prudence and sobriety which religion teaches, tend not only to the health of the soul, but to the health of the body. Worldly wealth is but poor substance, yet, such as it is, we must honour God with it; and those that do good with what they have, shall have more to do more good with. Should the Lord visit us with trials and sickness, let us not forget that the exhortation speaks to us as to children, for our good. We must not faint under an affliction, be it ever so heavy and long, not be driven to despair, or use wrong means for relief. The father corrects the son whom he loves, because he loves him, and desires that he may be wise and good. Afflictions are so far from doing God's children any hurt, that, by the grace of God, they promote their holiness.

Verses 13-20 No precious jewels or earthly treasures are worthy to be compared with true wisdom, whether the concerns of time or eternity be considered. We must make wisdom our business; we must venture all in it, and be willing to part with all for it. This Wisdom is the Lord Jesus Christ and his salvation, sought and obtained by faith and prayer. Were it not for unbelief, remaining sinfulness, and carelessness, we should find all our ways pleasantness, and our paths peace, for his are so; but we too often step aside from them, to our own hurt and grief. Christ is that Wisdom, by whom the worlds were made, and still are in being; happy are those to whom he is made of God wisdom. He has wherewithal to make good all his promises.

Verses 21-26 Let us not suffer Christ's words to depart from us, but keep sound wisdom and discretion; then shall we walk safely in his ways. The natural life, and all that belongs to it, shall be under the protection of God's providence; the spiritual life, and all its interests, under the protection of his grace, so that we shall be kept from falling into sin or trouble.

Verses 27-35 Our business is to observe the precepts of Christ, and to copy his example; to do justice, to love mercy, and to beware of covetousness; to be ready for every good work, avoiding needless strife, and bearing evils, if possible, rather than seeking redress by law. It will be found there is little got by striving. Let us not envy prosperous oppressors; far be it from the disciples of Christ to choose any of their ways. These truths may be despised by the covetous and luxurious, but everlasting contempt will be the portion of such scorners, while Divine favour is shown to the humble believer.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 3

In this chapter, Wisdom, or Christ, delivers out some fresh lessons and instructions to his children; as not to forget his doctrine, but heartily attend to his precepts and ordinances, seeing these are the means of lengthening out their days, and of enjoying peace, Pr 3:1,2; as well as had the promise of the mercy and truth of God, and the continuance of them, annexed to them; and therefore are exhorted to keep close to them, and show the greatest value and affection for them, which was the way to find favour with, and to be taken notice of by, God and man, Pr 3:3,4; and then he proceeds to exhort them to a hearty trust in the Lord, without dependence on themselves; and to seek direction from him in every step they took, which they might expect to have, Pr 3:5,6; to humility and the fear of God, and fleeing from evil, which they would find would much contribute to their health, Pr 3:7,8; to liberality in supporting the worship of God, and the interest of religion, which would turn to account and profit to them, Pr 3:9,10; to patience in bearing the chastisement of the Lord, as coming from a loving father, Pr 3:11,12; then follows a commendation of wisdom, and the happiness of the man possessed of it is declared, Pr 3:13; from the profit, preciousness, pleasure, and usefulness of it, Pr 3:14-18; and from its concern in the works of creation and providence, Pr 3:19,20; and from that comfort, honour, safety, and security, which come by the doctrines and instructions of Wisdom, and a steady regard to them, Pr 3:21-26; and the chapter is concluded with exhortations to beneficence, charity, concord, and peace with neighbours, Pr 3:27-30; and to shun the ways of wicked men, urged from the different state and condition of wicked men and fools, and of the just, the lowly, and wise, Pr 3:31-35.