< Proverbs 3 >
1 My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
My son, forget not my teaching, and let thy heart observe my commandments;
2 For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
for length of days, and years of life, and peace shall they add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
Let not loving-kindness and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
and thou shalt find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
Confide in Jehovah with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own intelligence;
6 In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make plain thy paths.
7 Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:
8 This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
it shall be health for thy navel, and moisture for thy bones.
9 Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
Honour Jehovah with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase;
10 So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
My son, despise not the instruction of Jehovah, neither be weary of his chastisement;
12 For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
for whom Jehovah loveth he chasteneth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
For the gain thereof is better than the gain of silver, and her revenue than fine gold.
15 She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.
She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not equal unto her.
16 Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is he that retaineth her.
19 The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place.
Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
By his knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace unto thy neck.
23 Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, and thy foot shall not stumble;
24 When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, but thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it cometh;
26 For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
for Jehovah shall be thy confidence, and he will keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28 Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.
29 Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
For the perverse is an abomination to Jehovah; but his secret is with the upright.
33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright.
The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked; but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
34 He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
He indeed scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35 The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.
The wise shall inherit glory; but shame shall be the promotion of the foolish.