Proverbs 3
3
Guidance for the Young
1My son, do not forget my law,
#Deut. 8:1But let your heart keep my commands;
2For length of days and long life
And #Ps. 119:165; Prov. 4:10peace they will add to you.
3Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
#Ex. 13:9; Deut. 6:8; Prov. 6:21Bind them around your neck,
#Prov. 7:3; Jer. 17:1; (2 Cor. 3:3)Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4#1 Sam. 2:26; Luke 2:52; Rom. 14:18And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
5#(Ps. 37:3, 5); Prov. 22:19Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
#Prov. 23:4; (Jer. 9:23, 24)And lean not on your own understanding;
6#(1 Chr. 28:9); Prov. 16:3; (Phil. 4:6; James 1:5)In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
7Do not be wise in your own #Rom. 12:16eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8It will be health to your flesh,
And #Job 21:24strength to your bones.
9#Ex. 22:29; Deut. 26:2; (Mal. 3:10)Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10#Deut. 28:8So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
11#Job 5:17; Ps. 94:12; Heb. 12:5, 6; Rev. 3:19My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
12For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
#Deut. 8:5; Prov. 13:24Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
13#Prov. 8:32, 34, 35Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
14#Job 28:13For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15She is more precious than rubies,
And #Matt. 13:44all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16#Prov. 8:18; (1 Tim. 4:8)Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17#(Matt. 11:29)Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18She is #Gen. 2:9; Prov. 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Rev. 2:7a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.
19#Ps. 104:24; Prov. 8:27The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
20By His knowledge the depths were #Gen. 7:11broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.
21My son, let them not depart from your eyes—
Keep sound wisdom and discretion;
22So they will be life to your soul
And grace to your neck.
23#(Ps. 37:24; 91:11, 12); Prov. 10:9Then you will walk safely in your way,
And your foot will not stumble.
24When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
25#Ps. 91:5; 1 Pet. 3:14Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.
27#Rom. 13:7; (Gal. 6:10)Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28#Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15Do not say to your neighbor,
“Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.
29Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.
30#Prov. 26:17; (Rom. 12:18)Do not strive with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.
31#Ps. 37:1; Prov. 24:1Do not envy the oppressor,
And choose none of his ways;
32For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord,
#Ps. 25:14But His secret counsel is with the upright.
33#Lev. 26:14, 16; Deut. 11:28; Zech. 5:3, 4; Mal. 2:2The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But #Job 8:6; Ps. 1:3He blesses the home of the just.
34#James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.
35The wise shall inherit glory,
But shame shall be the legacy of fools.
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Proverbs 3: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 3
3
Using Wisdom
1My son,
do not forget my teachings,
and keep my commands in mind,
2because they will bring you
long life, good years, and peace.
3Do not let mercy and truth leave you.
Fasten them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Then you will find favor and much success
in the sight of God and humanity.
5Trust the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding.
6In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths smooth.#3:6 Or “straight.”
7Do not consider yourself wise.
Fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 ⌞Then⌟ your body will be healed,
and your bones will have nourishment.
9Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the first and best part of all your income.#3:9 Or “harvest.”
10Then your barns will be full,
and your vats will overflow with fresh wine.
11Do not reject the discipline of the Lord, my son,
and do not resent his warning,
12because the Lord warns the one he loves,
even as a father warns a son with whom he is pleased.
13Blessed is the one who finds wisdom
and the one who obtains understanding.
14The profit ⌞gained⌟ from ⌞wisdom⌟ is greater than
the profit ⌞gained⌟ from silver.
Its yield is better than fine gold.
15 ⌞Wisdom⌟ is more precious than jewels,
and all your desires cannot equal it.
16Long life is in ⌞wisdom’s⌟ right hand.
In ⌞wisdom’s⌟ left hand are riches and honor.
17 ⌞Wisdom’s⌟ ways are pleasant ways,
and all its paths lead to peace.
18 ⌞Wisdom⌟ is a tree of life
for those who take firm hold of it.
Those who cling to it are blessed.
19By Wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth.
By understanding he established the heavens.
20By his knowledge the deep waters were divided,
and the skies dropped dew.
21My son,
do not lose sight of these things.
Use priceless wisdom and foresight.
22Then they will mean life for you,
and they will grace your neck.
23Then you will go safely on your way,
and you will not hurt your foot.
24When you lie down, you will not be afraid.
As you lie there, your sleep will be sweet.
25Do not be afraid of sudden terror
or of the destruction of wicked people when it comes.
26The Lord will be your confidence.
He will keep your foot from getting caught.
27Do not hold back anything good
from those who are entitled to it
when you have the power to do so.
28When you have the good thing with you, do not tell your neighbor,
“Go away!
Come back tomorrow.
I’ll give you something then.”
29Do not plan to do something wrong to your neighbor
while he is sitting there with you and suspecting nothing.
30Do not quarrel with a person for no reason
if he has not harmed you.
31Do not envy a violent person.
Do not choose any of his ways.
32The devious person is disgusting to the Lord.
The Lord’s intimate advice is with decent people.
33The Lord curses the house of wicked people,
but he blesses the home of righteous people.
34When he mocks the mockers,
he is gracious to humble people.
35Wise people will inherit honor,
but fools will bear disgrace.
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