Proverbs 3

1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;

My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,

2 for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.

for they will add to you length of days, 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.

Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.

So you will find favour, and good understanding 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 your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.

6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

Don’t be wise in your 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 health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;

Honour the LORD with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase;

10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;

My son, don’t despise the LORD’s discipline, neither be weary of his correction;

12 for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.

for whom the LORD loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.

14 for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.

For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.

She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to 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 honour.

17 All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness. 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 those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

19 The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.

By wisdom the LORD founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.

20 By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.

By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, 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 depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,

22 They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.

so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.

23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.

Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.

When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

25 Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;

26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.

for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

27 Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.

Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

28 Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means.

Don’t say to your neighbour, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.

29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.

Don’t devise evil against your neighbour, since he dwells securely by you.

30 Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.

Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;

Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.

32 for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.

For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD, but his friendship is 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 LORD’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

34 He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.

Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.

35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.

The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.