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 keep my commandments;
2 for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they increase unto thee.
3 Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Let kindness and truth not forsake thee; bind them about thy throat; write them upon the table of thy heart:
4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
Trust in the Lord with all thy heart: and upon thy own understanding do not rely.
6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make level thy paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
8 This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
It will be healing to thy body, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
Honor the Lord with thy wealth, and with the first-fruits of all thy products:
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and with new wine shall thy presses overflow.
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;
The correction of the Lord, my son, do not despise; and feel no loathing for his admonition;
12 for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.
Because whomever the Lord loveth he admonisheth; and as a father who delighteth in [his] son.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,
Happy the man that hath found wisdom, and the man that acquireth understanding.
14 for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.
For the obtaining of her is better than the obtaining of silver, and better than fine gold is her product.
15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.
She is more precious than pearls; and all the things thou valuest are not equal unto 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: in her left are riches and honor.
17 All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
A tree of life is she to those that lay hold on her: and every one that firmly graspeth her will be made happy.
19 The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.
The Lord hath through wisdom founded the earth: he hath established the heavens through understanding.
20 By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
By his knowledge were the depths split open, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.
My son, let them not be removed from thy eyes; keep [before thee] sound wisdom and discretion:
22 They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.
And they will be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy throat.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.
Then wilt thou walk in safety on thy way, and thy foot will not strike [against aught]:
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.
When thou layest thyself down, thou shalt feel no dread; and as thou liest down, thy sleep shall be pleasant.
25 Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
Thou needest not to be afraid of sudden dread, neither of the [unlooked-for] tempest over the wicked, when it cometh.
26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.
For the Lord will be thy confidence, and he will guard thy foot from being caught.
27 Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.
Withhold not a benefit from him who is deserving it, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28 Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means.
Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and return, and tomorrow will I give: when thou hast it by thee.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
Contrive not against thy neighbor any evil, when he dwelleth in safety with thee.
30 Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.
Quarrel not with any man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;
Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
32 for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.
For the froward is an abomination to the Lord; but with the upright is his good-will.
33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.
The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked; but the habitation of the righteous will he bless.
34 He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
If [it concern] the scornful he will himself render them a scorn; but unto the lowly doth he give grace.
35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.
The wise shall inherit glory; but fools shall obtain disgrace as their portion.
