Proverbs
Chapter 3
A father urges his son to hold on to his teaching and to trust the LORD instead of his own judgment. He tells him to honor the LORD with his wealth and to accept the LORD's correction as a father's care. Then he praises wisdom as worth more than silver, gold, or jewels, and the tool God used to make the world. The chapter closes with rules for treating neighbors well and a contrast between how the wicked and the upright end up.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
1My son, do not forget what I teach you. Keep my commands in your heart.
2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
2They will add many days and long life to you, and they will bring you peace.
3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
3Never let kindness and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck. Write them on your heart.
4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
4Then God and people will think well of you, and you will be respected.
5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
5Trust the LORD with your whole heart. Do not depend on your own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
6Remember him in everything you do, and he will make your paths straight.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
7Do not think you are wise on your own. Respect the LORD and stay away from evil.
8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
8That will bring healing to your body and strength to your bones.
"Health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones" is a picture of the whole body being well and strong, not advice about one body part.
9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
9Honor the LORD with what you own, and with the first and best of everything you harvest.
10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
10Then your barns will be full, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
"Presses" are the vats where grapes were crushed and the juice collected. Overflowing vats meant a huge grape harvest.
11My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
11My son, do not brush off the LORD's discipline. Do not get tired of his correction.
12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
12The LORD corrects the people he loves, the way a father corrects a son he is proud of.
13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
13The person who finds wisdom is happy. So is the person who gains understanding.
14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
14Trading for wisdom pays better than trading for silver. It brings more profit than fine gold.
15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
15She is worth more than jewels. Nothing you could want compares with her.
16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
16Long life is in her right hand. Riches and honor are in her left hand.
17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
17Her ways are pleasant ways. All her paths lead to peace.
18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
18She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her. Everyone who keeps her is happy.
19The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
19The LORD used wisdom to set the earth in place. He used understanding to fix the sky above.
20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
20By what he knows, the deep waters split open, and the clouds drip down dew.
21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
21My son, do not let these things out of your sight. Hold on to good sense and careful thinking.
22So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
22They will be life to you, and they will look good on you, like a chain around your neck.
23Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
23Then you will walk your road safely, and your foot will not trip.
24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
24When you lie down, you will not be afraid. You will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.
25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
25Do not be afraid of sudden trouble, or of the ruin that comes on wicked people.
26For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
26The LORD will be the one you count on. He will keep your foot out of the trap.
27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
27Do not hold back good from people who should have it, when you have the power to help.
28Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
28Do not tell your neighbor, "Go away and come back tomorrow, and I will give it then," when you already have it.
29Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
29Do not plan harm against your neighbor. He lives right beside you and trusts you.
30Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
30Do not pick a fight with someone for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
31Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
31Do not envy a person who hurts others. Do not choose any of his ways.
32For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
32The LORD hates a crooked person, but he is a close friend to those who do right.
In 1611 English, "froward" meant crooked or twisted in behavior. It has nothing to do with being forward or bold. "His secret is with the righteous" means God lets honest people in on his thinking, the way close friends share things.
33The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
33The LORD's curse rests on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of people who do right.
34Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
34He makes fun of those who make fun of others, but he is kind to those who are humble.
35The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
35Wise people will receive honor, but fools will end up with shame.
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