Proverbs

Proverbs 3:1–4

¹My son, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments;

²for they will add length to your days,

years and peace to your life.

³Never let loving devotion^a or faithfulness leave you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Then you will find favor and high regard

in the sight of God and man.

Footnotes

a 3:3 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My son	בְּ֭נִי	bə·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1121 son
do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
forget	תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח	tiš·kāḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7911 forget
my teaching	תּוֹרָתִ֣י	tō·w·rā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8451 direction, instruction, law
but let your heart	לִבֶּֽךָ׃	lib·be·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
keep	יִצֹּ֥ר	yiṣ·ṣōr	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5341 watch, guard, keep
my commandments	וּ֝מִצְוֺתַ֗י	ū·miṣ·wō·ṯay	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common singular	H4687 commandment

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
for	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they will add	יוֹסִ֥יפוּ	yō·w·sî·p̄ū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3254 add
length	אֹ֣רֶךְ	’ō·reḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H753 length
to your days	יָ֭מִים	yā·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
years	וּשְׁנ֣וֹת	ū·šə·nō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct	H8141 year
and peace	וְ֝שָׁל֗וֹם	wə·šā·lō·wm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
to your life	חַיִּ֑ים	ḥay·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Never	אַֽל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
let loving devotion	חֶ֥סֶד	ḥe·seḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness
or faithfulness	וֶאֱמֶ֗ת	we·’ĕ·meṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
leave you	יַעַ֫זְבֻ֥ךָ	ya·‘az·ḇu·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; second person masculine singular	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
bind	קָשְׁרֵ֥ם	qā·šə·rêm	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H7194 bind, league together, conspire
them	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
around your neck	גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ	gar·gə·rō·w·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H1621 neck
write them	כָּ֝תְבֵ֗ם	kā·ṯə·ḇêm	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H3789 write
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the tablet	ל֥וּחַ	lū·aḥ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3871 tablet, board or plank, plate
of your heart	לִבֶּֽךָ׃	lib·be·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then you will find	וּמְצָא־	ū·mə·ṣā-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H4672 attain to, find
favor	חֵ֖ן	ḥên	Noun - masculine singular	H2580 favour, grace
and high regard	וְשֵֽׂכֶל־	wə·śê·ḵel-	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H7922 prudence, insight
in the sight	בְּעֵינֵ֖י	bə·‘ê·nê	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc	H5869 eye
of God	אֱלֹהִ֣ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
and man	וְאָדָֽם׃פ	wə·’ā·ḏām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind