The Word Am I

The Proverbs

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 3 -

A blessing of wisdom

1
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
2
for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
3
Never let loving devotion (a) or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4
Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
6
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
7
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8
This will bring healing to your body (b) and refreshment (c) to your bones.
9
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
10
then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11
My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;(d)
12
for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.(e)

Wisdom is more valuable than riches

13
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,
14
for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.
15
She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.
16
Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
17
All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.
18
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
19
The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.
20
By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.

The ways of the wise

21
My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.
22
They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.
23
Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.
24
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.
25
Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.
27
Do not withhold good from the deserving (f) when it is within your power to act.
28
Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means.
29
Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
30
Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.
31
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;
32
for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.
33
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.
34
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.(g)
35
The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.

Footnotes

(a)3:3 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.
(b)3:8 Hebrew navel
(c)3:8 Or medicine
(d)3:11 LXX and do not lose heart when He rebukes; cited in Hebrews 12:5
(e)3:12 LXX and He flogs every son He receives; cited in Hebrews 12:6
(f)3:27 Or from its owners
(g)3:34 LXX The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble; cited in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5

A blessing of wisdom

1
My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
2
for they will add to you length of days, years of life, and peace.
3
Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4
So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
6
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
7
Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8
It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.
9
Honor the LORD with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase;
10
so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11
My son, don’t despise the LORD’s discipline, neither be weary of his correction;
12
for whom the LORD loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

Wisdom is more valuable than riches

13
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.
14
For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.
15
She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
16
Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.
17
Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.
18
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
19
By wisdom the LORD founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.
20
By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

The ways of the wise

21
My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22
so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.
23
Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.
24
When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.
25
Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;
26
for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.
27
Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28
Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.
29
Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.
30
Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.
31
Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.
32
For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD, but his friendship is with the upright.
33
The LORD’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34
Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.
35
The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.
⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞