< Proverbs 3 >

1 My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.
My son! Do not forget my law, And let your heart keep my commands,
2 For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace.
For [the] length of [your] days and years, Life and peace they add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart.
Do not let kindness and truth forsake you, Bind them on your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.
Trust to YHWH with all your heart, And do not lean to your own understanding.
6 In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.
In all your ways know Him, And He makes your paths straight.
7 Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.
Do not be wise in your own eyes, Fear YHWH, and turn aside from evil.
8 Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.
It is healing to your navel, And moistening to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,
Honor YHWH from your substance, And from the beginning of all your increase;
10 and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.
And your barns are filled [with] plenty, And your presses break forth [with] new wine.
11 My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him.
Discipline of YHWH, my son, do not despise, And do not be distressed with His reproof,
12 For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.
For whom YHWH loves He reproves, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence.
O the blessedness of a man [who] has found wisdom, And of a man [who] brings forth understanding.
14 Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.
For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold—her increase.
15 She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her.
She [is] precious above rubies, And all your pleasures are not comparable to her.
16 Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory.
Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honor.
17 Her ways are beautiful 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 those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed.
She [is] a tree of life to those laying hold on her, And whoever is retaining her [is] blessed.
19 The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.
YHWH founded the earth by wisdom, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.
By His knowledge depths have been broken, And clouds drop dew.
21 My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.
My son! Do not let them turn from your eyes, Keep wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.
And they are life to your soul, and grace to your neck.
23 Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.
Then you go your way confidently, And your foot does not stumble.
24 When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.
If you lie down, you are not afraid, Indeed, you have lain down, And your sleep has been sweet.
25 Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.
Do not be afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it comes.
26 For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.
For YHWH is at your side, And He has kept your foot from capture.
27 Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.
Do not withhold good from its owners, When your hand [is] toward God to do [it].
28 Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.
Do not say to your friend, “Go, and return, and tomorrow I give,” When substance [is] with you.
29 Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.
Do not devise evil against your neighbor, And he sitting confidently with you.
30 Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.
Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has not done you evil.
31 Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways.
Do not be envious of a man of violence, Nor fix on any of his ways.
32 For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.
For the perverted [is] an abomination to YHWH, And His secret counsel [is] with the upright.
33 Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
The curse of YHWH [is] in the house of the wicked. And He blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34 He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.
If He scorns the scorners, Yet He gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.
The wise inherit glory, And fools are bearing away shame!

< Proverbs 3 >