Proverbs 3
1 MY son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
for they will add to you length of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
So you will find favour, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
Honour the LORD with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase;
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
My son, don’t despise the LORD’s discipline, neither be weary of his correction;
12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
for whom the LORD loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
By wisdom the LORD founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;
26 For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Don’t say to your neighbour, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Don’t devise evil against your neighbour, since he dwells securely by you.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.
31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.
32 For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD, but his friendship is with the upright.
33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
The LORD’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.
