Proverbs 3

1 [My] son, forget not my laws; but let your heart keep my words:

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

2 for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to you.

For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; but bind them about your neck:

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

4 so shall you find favour: and do you provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.

So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in God with all your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in your own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

8 Then shall there be health to your body, and good keeping to your bones.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

9 Honour the Lord with your just labours, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:

Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

10 that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your presses may burst forth with wine.

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

11 [My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when you are rebuked of him:

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

12 for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.

For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.

13 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.

Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding.

14 For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.

For the merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof 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 all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto 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; [and] in her left hand riches and honour.

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 them that lay hold upon her: and happy [is every one] that retaineth her.

19 God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

20 By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.

By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

21 [My] son, let [them] not pass from [you], but keep my counsel and understanding:

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

22 that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:

So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

23 that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.

Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

24 For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

25 And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

26 For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.

For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

27 Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have [power] to help [him].

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do [it].

28 Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do [him] good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth.

Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

29 Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you.

Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

30 Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.

Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

31 Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.

Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

32 For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit amongst the righteous.

For the froward [is] abomination to the LORD: but his secret [is] with the righteous.

33 The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.

The curse of the LORD [is] in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

34 The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.

Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto 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.