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 length to your days, years and peace to your life.
For length of days, and years of life, And peace shall they multiply to thee.
3 Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave 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 Then you will find favor and high regard 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 lean not 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 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
It shall be health to thy muscles, And moisture to thy bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
Honor the LORD with thy substance, And with the first-fruits of all thy increase;
10 then 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 reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;
My son, despise not the correction of the LORD, Nor be impatient under his chastisement!
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 chasteneth, Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,
Happy the man who findeth wisdom; Yea, the man who getteth understanding!
14 for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain 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; nothing you desire compares with her.
More precious is she than pearls, And none of thy jewels is 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; In her left hand 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.
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 The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.
The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he framed the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
By his knowledge the deep waters were cleft, And the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion!
22 They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.
For they shall be life to thy soul, And grace to thy neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and 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; when you rest, 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 fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
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 the snare.
For the LORD shall be thy confidence; Yea, he will keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.
Withhold not kindness from those who need 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 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, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
Devise not evil against thy neighbor, While he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.
Contend not with a man without cause, When he hath done thee no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;
Envy not the oppressor, And choose none of his ways.
32 for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.
For the perverse man is the abomination of the LORD, But he is in friendship with the upright.
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 upon the house of the wicked, But he blesseth the dwelling of the righteous.
34 He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
Surely the scorners he treadeth scornfully, But giveth favor to the lowly.
35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.
The wise shall obtain honor, But fools shall bear off shame.
