Proverbs · Chapter 3 · Love
Proverbs 3:3 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Love is the centre of Scripture's story. Read this one slowly.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart."
KJV · King James Version
"Let not mercy2617 and truth571 forsake5800 thee: bind7194 them about thy neck1621; write3789 them upon the table3871 of thine heart3820:"
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses not, mercy, thee, about, while the WEB renders these as don, kindness, you, around. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Proverbs 3:3 in Proverbs 3
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Proverbs 3:3 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Proverbs 3. Read the full chapter →
- v.1 My son, don’t forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:
- v.2 for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.
- v.3 Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
- v.4 So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
- v.5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
Book background
About the Book of Proverbs
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Wisdom literature
- Author
- Solomon (primarily), Agur, Lemuel
- Date written
- c. 970–700 BC
- Audience
- Young men learning the wisdom of the covenant
- Chapters
- 31
Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Its core thesis is in 1:7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." Chapter 31 closes with the famous portrait of the wise woman whose worth is "far above rubies."
Setting: Compiled across multiple reigns; Solomon's collection plus later additions.
Key themes: wisdom · fear of the LORD · speech · work · relationships
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Proverbs 3:3
Proverbs 3:3 contains 20 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you
DLKATF
- 2
Bind them around your neck
BTAYN
- 3
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
WTOTTO
Frequently asked
FAQ about Proverbs 3:3
What does Proverbs 3:3 say?
Proverbs 3:3 reads: "Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart." — from the Old Testament, Proverbs (Wisdom literature). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Proverbs 3:3 in?
Proverbs 3:3 is in the book of Proverbs, traditionally attributed to Solomon (primarily), Agur, Lemuel and written around c. 970–700 BC. Proverbs is wisdom literature in the Old Testament, originally addressed to Young men learning the wisdom of the covenant. Best known for "trust in the LORD with all your heart" (3:5-6).
What is Proverbs 3:3 about?
Proverbs 3:3 is primarily a Bible verse about Love. Within Proverbs, Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Proverbs 3:3 in WEB and KJV?
Proverbs 3:3 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Let not mercy2617 and truth571 forsake5800 thee: bind7194 them about thy neck1621; write3789 them upon the table3871 of thine heart3820:". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Proverbs 3:3?
Proverbs 3:3 is 20 words in the WEB translation (109 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 6 seconds.
How can I memorise Proverbs 3:3?
To memorise Proverbs 3:3, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Proverbs 3:3 matter in Proverbs?
Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Its core thesis is in 1:7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." Chapter 31 closes with the famous portrait of the wise woman whose worth is "far above rubies." Proverbs 3:3 sits within this larger story — Proverbs as a whole emphasises wisdom, fear of the LORD, speech.
How can I apply Proverbs 3:3 today?
Many readers use Proverbs 3:3 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Proverbs 3:3 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
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Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
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-
1 John 4:8
“He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.”
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1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not pr…”
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-
Matthew 22:39
“A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
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-
John 13:34
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”
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-
1 Corinthians 13:13
“But now faith, hope, and love remain — these three. The greatest of these is love.”
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Romans 5:8
“But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
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-
Ephesians 4:32
“And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.”
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-
Deuteronomy 6:5
“You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”
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More featured verses in Proverbs 3
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Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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Proverbs 3:6
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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Proverbs 3:9
“Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:”
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More featured verses in Proverbs
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Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.”
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Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
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Proverbs 27:17
“Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.”
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Proverbs 1:7
“The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.”
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