Proverbs · Brenton's English Septuagint
Proverbs 3 Brenton's English Septuagint
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Square brackets mark words Brenton supplied for English sense.
- Old Testament only (no New Testament). First printed 1844; the 1851 edition added the deuterocanonical books.
1 [My] son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:
1 My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
2 for they will add to you length of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:
3 Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
4 So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.
5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
7 Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.
8 Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
8 It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:
9 Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase;
10 that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
10 so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 [My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
11 My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline, neither be weary of his correction;
12 for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
12 for whom Yahweh loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
13 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.
14 For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
14 For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.
15 And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
15 She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
16 For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory:
16 Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.
16a out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
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17 Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
19 God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.
20 By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 [My] son, let [them] not pass from [thee], but keep my counsel and understanding:
21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck;
22 so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.
22a and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:
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23 that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.
23 Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.
24 For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.
25 And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
25 Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;
26 For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
26 for Yahweh will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.
27 Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have [power] to help [him].
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 Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do [him] good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.
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 Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
29 Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.
30 Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
30 Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.
31 Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.
31 Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.
32 For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
32 For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright.
33 The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
33 Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34 The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
34 Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
35 The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.
Cross references (37)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 John 14:21–24; Proverbs 4:5; Deuteronomy 6:6–9; Psalm 119:16; Proverbs 1:8
- 2 Ephesians 6:1–3; Proverbs 4:10; Psalm 91:16; Psalm 128:6; Romans 15:13
- 3 Proverbs 7:3; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 10:16; Deuteronomy 11:18–21; Malachi 2:6
- 4 Luke 2:52; 1 Samuel 2:26; Romans 14:18; Psalm 111:10; Genesis 39:2–4
- 5 Psalm 37:5; Jeremiah 17:7–8; Proverbs 28:26; Psalm 37:3; Psalm 62:8
- 6 Proverbs 16:3; Psalm 32:8; Philippians 4:6; Proverbs 16:9; Jeremiah 10:23
- 7 Job 28:28; Romans 12:16; Proverbs 26:12; Proverbs 16:6; Job 1:1
- 8 Proverbs 4:22; Psalm 147:3; Proverbs 16:24; Job 21:24; Ezekiel 16:4–5
- 9 Deuteronomy 26:2–15; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Proverbs 14:31; Exodus 23:19; Philippians 4:17–18
- 10 Proverbs 19:17; Deuteronomy 28:8; Proverbs 11:24–25; Joel 2:24; Proverbs 22:9
- 11 Job 5:17; Revelation 3:19; Hebrews 12:5–12; Psalm 94:12; Isaiah 40:30–31
- 12 Deuteronomy 8:5; Revelation 3:19; Proverbs 29:17; Proverbs 13:24; Psalm 103:13
- 13 Proverbs 8:32–35; Proverbs 4:5–9; Ecclesiastes 9:15–18; Proverbs 2:4; 1 Kings 10:1–9
- 14 Proverbs 8:10–11; Proverbs 16:16; Proverbs 8:19; Job 28:13–19; Revelation 3:18
- 15 Proverbs 8:11; Proverbs 31:10; Job 28:18; Romans 8:18; Psalm 73:25–26
- 16 Proverbs 3:2; 2 Corinthians 6:10; Proverbs 22:4; 1 Kings 3:13; 1 Timothy 4:8
- 17 Luke 1:79; Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:8–9; Proverbs 2:10; Psalm 119:165
- 18 Proverbs 11:30; Proverbs 15:4; Revelation 2:7; Genesis 2:9; Proverbs 13:12
- 19 Psalm 104:24; Jeremiah 10:12; John 1:3; Jeremiah 51:15; Psalm 136:5
- 20 Genesis 7:11; Psalm 65:9–12; Job 36:27–28; Genesis 1:9; Genesis 27:28
- 21 Joshua 1:8; Deuteronomy 6:6–9; Deuteronomy 32:46–47; Proverbs 4:21; Hebrews 2:1–3
- 22 Proverbs 4:22; Proverbs 1:9; Isaiah 38:16; John 12:49–50
- 23 Proverbs 4:12; Proverbs 10:9; Psalm 121:3; Psalm 91:11–12; Psalm 37:31
- 24 Psalm 4:8; Psalm 3:5; Proverbs 6:22; Job 11:19; Psalm 121:4–7
- 25 Isaiah 41:10–14; Psalm 112:7; 1 Peter 3:14; Psalm 91:5; Isaiah 8:12–13
- 26 Psalm 91:3; Proverbs 14:26; 1 Samuel 2:9; Psalm 91:9–10; Habakkuk 3:17–18
- 27 Galatians 6:10; James 2:15–16; Romans 13:7; James 5:4; Genesis 31:29
- 28 Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:12–15; 2 Corinthians 8:11; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Ecclesiastes 11:6
- 29 Proverbs 6:14; Psalm 55:20; Micah 2:1–2; Proverbs 16:29–30; Psalm 59:3
- 30 2 Timothy 2:24; Proverbs 29:22; Romans 12:18–21; Proverbs 25:8–9; Proverbs 18:6
- 31 Proverbs 24:1; Psalm 37:1; Galatians 5:21; Ecclesiastes 5:8; Proverbs 23:17
- 32 Psalm 25:14; Proverbs 11:20; John 15:15; Proverbs 17:15; Proverbs 8:13
- 33 Psalm 37:22; Leviticus 26:14–46; Psalm 91:10; Job 8:6–7; Malachi 2:2
- 34 James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Psalm 138:6; Proverbs 9:12; Isaiah 57:15
- 35 Psalm 132:18; Isaiah 65:13–15; 1 Samuel 2:30; Daniel 12:2–3; Psalm 73:24
- 16a Proverbs 3:2; 2 Corinthians 6:10; Proverbs 22:4; 1 Kings 3:13; 1 Timothy 4:8
- 22a Proverbs 4:22; Proverbs 1:9; Isaiah 38:16; John 12:49–50
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"For God," saith [the Scripture], "resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." Let us cleave, then, to those to whom grace has been given by God.
By His knowledge the depths burst forth, and the clouds dropped down the dew." And again: "The Lord created me the beginning of His ways in His work: He set me up from everlasting, in the beginning, before He made the earth, before He established the depths, and before the fountains of waters gushed forth; before the mountains were made …
For Thou hast said unto man, "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;" and desire not to seem wise, because, "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." But I had now found the goodly pearl, which, selling all that I had, I ought to have bought; and I hesitated.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
For thus saith the holy Word: "The Lord hath severely chastened me, yet hath not given me over to death." "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." "The righteous," saith it, "shall chasten me in mercy, and reprove me; but let not the oil of sinners make fat my head." And again he …
So that the tree of life would seem to have been in the terrestrial Paradise what the wisdom of God is in the spiritual, of which it is written, "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)