Proverbs 3
1 My sonne, forget not thou my Lawe, but let thine heart keepe my commandements.
My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
2 For they shall increase the length of thy dayes and the yeeres of life, and thy prosperitie.
For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Let not mercie and trueth forsake thee: binde them on thy necke, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
4 So shalt thou finde fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man.
So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and leane not vnto thine owne wisdome.
Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy wayes.
In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
7 Be not wise in thine owne eyes: but feare the Lord, and depart from euill.
Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
8 So health shalbe vnto thy nauel, and marowe vnto thy bones.
This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy riches, and with the first fruites of all thine increase.
Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
10 So shall thy barnes be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall burst with newe wine.
So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
11 My sonne, refuse not the chastening of the Lord, neither be grieued with his correction.
My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
12 For the Lord correcteth him, whome he loueth, euen as the father doeth the childe in whom he deliteth.
For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome, and the man that getteth vnderstanding.
Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
14 For the marchandise thereof is better then the marchandise of siluer, and the gaine thereof is better then golde.
For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
15 It is more precious then pearles: and all things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared vnto her.
She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.
16 Length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasure, and all her pathes prosperitie.
Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay holde on her, and blessed is he that retaineth her.
She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
19 The Lord by wisdome hath layde the foundation of the earth, and hath stablished the heauens through vnderstanding.
The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place.
20 By his knowledge the depthes are broken vp, and the cloudes droppe downe the dewe.
By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
21 My sonne, let not these things depart from thine eyes, but obserue wisdome, and counsell.
My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
22 So they shalbe life to thy soule, and grace vnto thy necke.
So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
23 Then shalt thou walke safely by thy way: and thy foote shall not stumble.
Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
24 If thou sleepest, thou shalt not bee afraide, and when thou sleepest, thy sleepe shalbe sweete.
When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
25 Thou shalt not feare for any sudden feare, neither for the destruction of the wicked, when it commeth.
Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
26 For the Lord shall be for thine assurance, and shall preserue thy foote from taking.
For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
27 Withhold not the good from the owners thereof, though there be power in thine hand to doe it.
Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Say not vnto thy neighbour, Go and come againe, and to morow wil I giue thee, if thou now haue it.
Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
29 Intend none hurt against thy neighbour, seeing he doeth dwell without feare by thee.
Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
30 Striue not with a man causelesse, when he hath done thee no harme.
Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
31 Bee not enuious for the wicked man, neither chuse any of his wayes.
Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
32 For the frowarde is abomination vnto the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright.
34 With the scornefull he scorneth, but hee giueth grace vnto the humble.
He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
35 The wise shall inherite glorie: but fooles dishonour, though they be exalted.
The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.
