Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
My son, forget not my teaching, and let thy 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 years of life, and peace, will they increase unto thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
Let kindness and truth not forsake thee; bind them about thy throat; write them upon the table of thy heart:
4 And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before God and men.
So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the eyes 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 thy heart: and upon thy own understanding do not rely.
6 In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make level thy paths.
7 I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
8 For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
It will be healing to thy body, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
Honor the Lord with thy wealth, and with the first-fruits of all thy products:
10 And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and with new wine shall thy presses overflow.
11 My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:
The correction of the Lord, my son, do not despise; and feel no loathing for his admonition;
12 For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
Because whomever the Lord loveth he admonisheth; and as a father who delighteth in [his] son.
13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
Happy the man that hath found wisdom, and the man that acquireth understanding.
14 The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:
For the obtaining of her is better than the obtaining of silver, and better than fine gold is her product.
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 pearls; and all the things thou valuest are not equal unto 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: in her left are 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.
A tree of life is she to those that lay hold on her: and every one that firmly graspeth her will be made happy.
19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
The Lord hath through wisdom founded the earth: he hath established the heavens through understanding.
20 By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
By his knowledge were the depths split open, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
My son, let them not be removed from thy eyes; keep [before thee] sound wisdom and discretion:
22 And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
And they will be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy throat.
23 Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
Then wilt thou walk in safety on thy way, and thy foot will not strike [against aught]:
24 If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
When thou layest thyself down, thou shalt feel no dread; and as thou liest down, thy sleep shall be pleasant.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
Thou needest not to be afraid of sudden dread, neither of the [unlooked-for] tempest over the wicked, when it cometh.
26 For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
For the Lord will be thy confidence, and he will guard thy foot from being caught.
27 Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
Withhold not a benefit from him who is deserving it, when it is in the power of thy 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 unto thy neighbor, Go, and return, and tomorrow will I give: when thou hast it by thee.
29 Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
Contrive not against thy neighbor any evil, when he dwelleth in safety with thee.
30 Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
Quarrel not with any man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
Envy not the man of violence, 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 froward is an abomination to the Lord; but with the upright is his good-will.
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 the habitation of the righteous will he bless.
34 He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
If [it concern] the scornful he will himself render them a scorn; but unto the lowly doth he give grace.
35 The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
The wise shall inherit glory; but fools shall obtain disgrace as their portion.
