Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
2 for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.
3 Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before God and men.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
8 This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;
My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:
12 for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.
For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,
Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
14 for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.
The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:
15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.
She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
17 All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.
Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.
18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
19 The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
20 By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
21 My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.
My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
22 They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.
And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.
Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.
If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.
For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
27 Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.
Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
28 Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means.
Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
30 Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.
Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;
Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
32 for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.
For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.
Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.
The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
