Chapter 3

¹My child, do not forget My teaching,

²for it will add length of days and years of life and peace to you.

³Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart,

⁴and you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and people.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

⁸It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce,

¹⁰then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will burst out with new wine.

¹¹My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of His reproof,

¹²for the Lord reproves the one He loves, as a father the child in whom he delights.

¹³Blessed is the person who finds wisdom, the person who gains understanding,

¹⁴for its profit is better than profit from silver, and its gain better than fine gold.

¹⁵It is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with it.

¹⁶Long life is in its right hand; in its left are riches and honor.

¹⁷Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.

¹⁸It is a tree of life to those who lay hold of it; those who hold it fast are called blessed.

¹⁹The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens;

²⁰by His knowledge the deeps were split open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

²¹My child, do not let them depart from your eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion,

²²and they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck.

²³Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.

²⁴When you lie down, you will not be afraid; you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes.

²⁶For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

²⁹Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.

³⁰Do not contend with a person for no reason, when they have done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy a person of violence and do not choose any of their ways,

³²for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but He is intimate with the upright.

³³The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

³⁴Toward the scoffers He is scornful, but to the humble He gives favor.

³⁵The wise will inherit honor, but fools exalt disgrace. Proverbs 4 The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 4 – VKJV