Proverbs 003

English Standard Version

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,
²for ^(C)length of days and years of life
and ^(D)peace they will add to you.

³Let not ^(E)steadfast love and ^(F)faithfulness forsake you;
    ^(G)bind them around your neck;
    ^(H)write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴So 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.
⁶In 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.
⁸It will be ^(Q)healing to your flesh^[b]
    and ^(R)refreshment^[c] to your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with ^(S)the firstfruits of all your produce;
¹⁰then 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,
¹²for 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.
¹⁵She 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.
¹⁷Her ^(AD)ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸She 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;
²⁰by his knowledge ^(AI)the deeps broke open,
and ^(AJ)the clouds drop down the dew.

²¹My son, ^(AK)do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
²²and 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,
²⁶for 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,
³²for ^(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.
³⁴Toward the ^(BF)scorners he ^(BG)is scornful,
    ^(BH)but to the humble he gives favor.^[f]
³⁵The wise will inherit honor,
    but fools get^[g] disgrace.