Proverbs 3
The father urges his son to trust in the LORD with all his heart and lean not on his own understanding, promising that God directs the paths of those who acknowledge Him in all their ways. He exalts wisdom as more precious than rubies and as the very means by which God founded the earth.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: | My son, do not forget my law, but let Your heart keep my commandments. |
| 2 | For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. | For they will add length of days, long life, and peace to You. |
| 3 | Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: | Do not let mercy and truth forsake You; bind them around Your neck; write them on the tablet of Your heart. |
| 4 | So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. | So You will find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. |
| 5 | Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. | Trust in the LORD with all Your heart, and lean not on Your own understanding. |
| 6 | In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. | In all Your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct Your paths. |
| 7 | Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. | Do not be wise in Your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. |
| 8 | It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. | It will be health to Your body and marrow to Your bones. |
| 9 | Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: | Honor the LORD with Your substance, and with the firstfruits of all Your increase. |
| 10 | So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. | So Your barns will be filled with plenty, and Your presses will burst out with new wine. |
| 11 | My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: | My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be weary of His correction. |
| 12 | For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. | For whom the LORD loves He corrects, even as a father the son in whom He delights. |
| 13 | Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. | Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. |
| 14 | For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. | For her gain is better than the gain of silver, and her profit better than fine gold. |
| 15 | She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. | She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you can desire cannot be compared to her. |
| 16 | Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. | Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and honor. |
| 17 | Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. | Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. |
| 18 | She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. | She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her, and happy is everyone who keeps her. |
| 19 | The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. | By wisdom the LORD has founded the earth; by understanding He has established the heavens. |
| 20 | By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. | By His knowledge the depths are broken open, and the clouds drop down the dew. |
| 21 | My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: | My son, do not let them depart from Your eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion. |
| 22 | So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. | So they will be life to Your soul and grace to Your neck. |
| 23 | Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. | Then You will walk on Your way safely, and Your foot will not stumble. |
| 24 | When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. | When You lie down, You will not be afraid; You will lie down, and Your sleep will be sweet. |
| 25 | Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. | Do not be afraid of sudden fear, nor of the desolation of the wicked when it comes. |
| 26 | For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. | For the LORD will be Your confidence, and will keep Your foot from being caught. |
| 27 | Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. | Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of Your hand to do it. |
| 28 | Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. | Do not say to Your neighbor, "Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give," when You have it with You. |
| 29 | Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. | Do not devise evil against Your neighbor, since He lives securely beside You. |
| 30 | Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. | Do not contend with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm. |
| 31 | Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. | Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of His ways. |
| 32 | For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. | For the perverse are an abomination to the LORD; but His secret is with the righteous. |
| 33 | The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. | The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked; but he blesses the habitation of the just. |
| 34 | Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace to the lowly. | Surely He scorns the scorners; but He gives grace to the lowly. |
| 35 | The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. | The wise will inherit glory; but shame will be the promotion of fools. |