He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
Parallel translations
- WEB One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
- KJV He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
- BSB He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.
- NASB One who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But one who walks wisely will flee to safety.
- NLT Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Trusting one's own heart is foolish, but walking in wisdom brings safety. It warns against self-reliance and commends humble dependence on godly wisdom.
Overview
The proverb labels the one who trusts in himself a fool, while the one who walks in wisdom is kept safe. Since the heart is deceitful, self-confidence is a perilous guide. True safety lies in submitting to God's wisdom, supremely revealed in Christ, in whom we are to trust rather than ourselves (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Prov 3:5Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
- Jer 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
- Job 28:28To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
- Rom 8:7because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.
- Jas 1:5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
- Mark 7:21–23For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,
- 2 Tim 3:15From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
- Jas 3:13–18Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
- 2 Kgs 8:13Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he could do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “Yahweh has shown me that you will be king over Syria.”
- Mark 14:27–31Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 28:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.