Proverbs 3:11
ESV
My son, do not despise the Lord 's discipline or be weary of his reproof,
NIV
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
NASB
My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His rebuke,
CSB
Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe his discipline;
NLT
My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
KJV
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
NKJV
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction;
What does Proverbs 3:11 mean?
The God who guides, removes obstacles, and provides abundantly for His people can be trusted to discipline them for their good and His glory. Therefore, Solomon instructs his student not to despise the Lord's discipline or become weary of His reproof. To despise the Lord's discipline is to reject or minimize it. In common biblical use, this suggests the opposite of "preferring" something.To be weary of God's reproof is to loathe or abhor it. The Lord's discipline is not punishment; it is remedial. We learn much by being disciplined. We learn to identify actions that displease the Lord and impede our spiritual progress. When the Lord disciplined Jonah for his rebellious attitude, he prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. The whale was the Lord's messenger to save Jonah from the stormy sea, but is was also the means whereby the Lord taught Jonah to obey him (Jonah 1:10—2:10). Discipline in the Lord's hands is an effective tool He uses to shape us into the kind of people He wants us to be.
Proverbs 3:1–12 is an exhortation from Solomon to his son, urging him to heed his teaching and trust wholeheartedly in the Lord. He cites some of the valuable results of obedience and trust. This section builds on the counsel Solomon gave in Proverbs 2. The following section describes the blessings that come to those who find wisdom and understanding.
This chapter of Proverbs is addressed to Solomon's son. The term, ''my son'' occurs 15 times in chapters 1—7. The words may apply to one of Solomon's students in his court or to one of his biological sons. The application of wisdom in Proverbs 3 shows the benefits of trusting in the Lord with one's whole heart. Solomon credits obedience to and trust in God for longevity, success, guidance, health, reward that exceeds monetary wealth, enjoyment, peace, security, confidence, excellent human relationships, the Lord's blessing and favor, and honor. As with all ''proverbs,'' biblical or otherwise, their purpose is to impart general wisdom, not absolute prophecy. Like the original audience, modern readers are not expected to see these guidelines as absolute guarantees for any one person.