Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
My son, forget not my teaching, And let thy heart observe my precepts!
2 for they will add to you length of days, years of life, and peace.
For length of days, and years of life, And peace shall they multiply to thee.
3 Do not let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee; Bind them around thy neck, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Then shalt thou find favor and good success In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Trust in the LORD with all thy heart, And lean not on thine own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will make thy paths plain.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.
It shall be health to thy muscles, And moisture to thy bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase;
Honor the LORD with thy substance, And with the first-fruits of all thy increase;
10 so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy vats overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, neither be weary of his correction;
My son, despise not the correction of the LORD, Nor be impatient under his chastisement!
12 for whom the LORD loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
For whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth, Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.
Happy the man who findeth wisdom; Yea, the man who getteth understanding!
14 For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.
For the profit thereof is greater than that of silver, And the gain thereof than that of fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
More precious is she than pearls, And none of thy jewels is to be compared with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.
Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold of her, And happy is every one who hath her in his grasp.
19 By wisdom the LORD founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.
The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he framed the heavens.
20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the deep waters were cleft, And the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion!
22 so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.
For they shall be life to thy soul, And grace to thy neck.
23 Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot will not stumble.
Then shalt thou go on thy way securely, And thy foot shall not stumble;
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;
Be not thou afraid of sudden alarm, Nor of the storm that is for the wicked, when it cometh;
26 for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.
For the LORD shall be thy confidence; Yea, he will keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Withhold not kindness from those who need it, When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.
Say not to thy neighbor, “Go, and come again, And to-morrow I will give to thee,” when thou hast it by thee.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.
Devise not evil against thy neighbor, While he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Do not strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.
Contend not with a man without cause, When he hath done thee no harm.
31 Do not envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.
Envy not the oppressor, And choose none of his ways.
32 For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD, but his friendship is with the upright.
For the perverse man is the abomination of the LORD, But he is in friendship with the upright.
33 The LORD’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
The curse of the LORD is upon the house of the wicked, But he blesseth the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.
Surely the scorners he treadeth scornfully, But giveth favor to the lowly.
35 The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.
The wise shall obtain honor, But fools shall bear off shame.
