Proverbs 3:5–7
Trust in YHWH with all your heart and he will make your paths straight
Study it word by word5Trust in YHWH with all your heart, and on your own understanding do not lean.
6In all your ways know him, and he will make straight your paths.
7Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear YHWH and turn away from evil.
In its context
3Let not loyal love and faithfulness abandon you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart;
4and you will find favor and good regard in the eyes of Elohim and of man.
…
8It will be healing to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.
9Honor YHWH with your wealth, and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
Its words in the original
- בְּטַחbetach· trust
Trust: lean on someone or something and feel secure.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- לִבֶּlibe· heart
Heart. In Hebrew it is not only the place of feelings: it is the center of the person, where one thinks, decides and wills; also the middle of something.
- בִּינָתְbinat· understanding
Understanding: the ability to comprehend and to tell one thing from another.
- תִּשָּׁעֵןtishaen· lean, rest
Lean on, recline to rest; rely on.
- דְּרָכֶיderache· way
Way, road, journey. Figuratively, the way one lives or acts.
- דָעֵdae· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").
- יְיַשֵּׁרyeyasher· be right, be straight
Be right: be straight or level; with "in the eyes of," seem right to someone.
- אֹרְחֹתֶיorchote· path, way
Way, path; one's usual manner. "The way of women" is menstruation. Also a caravan.
- תְּהִיtehi· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- חָכָםchacham· wise
Wise; skilled, expert.
- עֵינֶיene· eye
Eye. "In someone's eyes" means "in his opinion"; "find favor in the eyes of" is to please him. Also a spring of water.
- יְרָאyera· fear
Fear. It can be fright before a danger or deep reverence before God ("fear YHWH"). In some forms, be fearsome, awesome.
- סוּרsur· turn aside, remove
Turn aside, turn away; remove, take away.
- רָעra· evil, bad, harm
Bad; evil. It includes what is morally wrong and also what does harm: misfortune, disaster, distress.