Proverbs 3
1 [My] son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:
My son, do not forget my law, but let thy heart keep my commandments.
2 for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
For length of days, and years of life, and peace, they will add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee. Bind them about thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart,
4 so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
so thou shall find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.
Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil.
8 Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
It will be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:
Honor Jehovah with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase,
10 that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
so thy barns shall be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
11 [My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah, nor be weary of his reproof.
12 for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
For whom Jehovah loves he reproves, and he whips every son whom he receives.
13 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding.
14 For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
For the gain of it is better than the gain of silver, and the profit of it than fine gold.
15 And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
She is more precious than rubies, and none of the things thou can desire are to be compared to her.
16 For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are good ways, 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 all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her. And happy is everyone who retains her.
19 God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth. By understanding he established the heavens.
20 By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
By his knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 [My] son, let [them] not pass from [thee], but keep my counsel and understanding:
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:
so they shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.
Then thou shall walk in thy way securely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24 For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.
When thou lie down, thou shall not be afraid. Yea, thou shall lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes.
26 For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
For Jehovah will be thy confidence, and will keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have [power] to help [him].
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28 Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do [him] good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.
Do not say to thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give, when thou have it by thee.
29 Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
Do not devise evil against thy neighbor, since he dwells securely by thee.
30 Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
Do not strive with a man without cause, if he has done thee no harm.
31 Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.
Do not envy thou the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
32 For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
For the perverse man is an abomination to Jehovah, but his friendship is with the upright.
33 The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
The curse of Jehovah is in the house of a wicked man, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34 The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
Surely the Lord is opposed to the arrogant, but he gives grace to the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
