Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments:
2 For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them on the table of your heart:
4 And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before God and men.
So shall you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding.
6 In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.
7 I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase:
10 And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.
13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding.
14 The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you can desire are not to be compared to her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and happy is every one that retains her.
19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
The LORD by wisdom has founded the earth; by understanding has he established the heavens.
20 By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
My son, let not them depart from your eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
So shall they be life to your soul, and grace to your neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
Then shall you walk in your way safely, and your foot shall not stumble.
24 If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
When you lie down, you shall not be afraid: yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes.
26 For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
For the LORD shall be your confidence, and shall keep your foot from being taken.
27 Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
Say not to your neighbor, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when you have it by you.
29 Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
Devise not evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.
30 Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done you no harm.
31 Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
Envy you not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
For the fraudulent is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
33 Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesses the habitation of the just.
34 He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
Surely he scorns the scorners: but he gives grace to the lowly.
35 The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
