Proverbs · Catholic Public Domain Version
Proverbs 3 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.
1 My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace.
2 for they will add to you length of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Let not mercy and truth abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart.
3 Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.
4 So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.
5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.
7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.
8 Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.
8 It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,
9 Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase;
10 and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.
10 so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him.
11 My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline, neither be weary of his correction;
12 For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.
12 for whom Yahweh loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.
14 Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.
14 For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her.
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 at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory.
16 Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are beautiful 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 those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
19 The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.
19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.
20 By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.
20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.
21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.
22 so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.
23 Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.
23 Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.
24 When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.
25 Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.
26 for Yahweh will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.
27 Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.
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 Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.
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 Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.
29 Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.
30 Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.
30 Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.
31 Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways.
31 Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.
32 For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.
32 For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright.
33 Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
33 Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34 He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.
34 Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.
35 The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.
Cross references (35)
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
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)