Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments:
My son, forget not my teaching, And let thy heart observe my precepts!
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to you.
For length of days, and years of life, And peace shall they multiply to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them upon the table of your heart:
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee; Bind them around thy neck, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 So shall you find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Then shalt thou find favor and good success In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all of your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding.
Trust in the LORD with all thy heart, And lean not on thine own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will make thy paths plain.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones.
It shall be health to thy muscles, And moisture to thy bones.
9 Honour the LORD with your substance, and with the first-fruits of all of your increase:
Honor the LORD with thy substance, And with the first-fruits of all thy increase;
10 So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine.
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy vats overflow with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
My son, despise not the correction of the LORD, Nor be impatient under his chastisement!
12 For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.
For whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth, Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding.
Happy the man who findeth wisdom; Yea, the man who getteth understanding!
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
For the profit thereof is greater than that of silver, And the gain thereof than that of fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you can desire are not to be compared unto her.
More precious is she than pearls, And none of thy jewels is to be compared with 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 honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And 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 retains her.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold of her, And happy is every one who hath her in his grasp.
19 The LORD by wisdom has founded the earth; by understanding has he established the heavens.
The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he framed the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the deep waters were cleft, And the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not them depart from your eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion!
22 So shall they be life unto your soul, and grace to your neck.
For they shall be life to thy soul, And grace to thy neck.
23 Then shall you walk in your way safely, and your foot shall not stumble.
Then shalt thou go on thy way securely, And thy foot shall not stumble;
24 When you lie down, you shall not be afraid: yea, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes.
Be not thou afraid of sudden alarm, Nor of the storm that is for the wicked, when it cometh;
26 For the LORD shall be your confidence, and shall keep your foot from being taken.
For the LORD shall be thy confidence; Yea, he will keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Withhold not kindness from those who need it, When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28 Say not unto your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you.
Say not to thy neighbor, “Go, and come again, And to-morrow I will give to thee,” when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not evil against your neighbour, seeing he dwells securely by you.
Devise not evil against thy neighbor, While he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done you no harm.
Contend not with a man without cause, When he hath done thee no harm.
31 Envy you not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Envy not the oppressor, And choose none of his ways.
32 For the perverse is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
For the perverse man is the abomination of the LORD, But he is in friendship with the upright.
33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesses the habitation of the just.
The curse of the LORD is upon the house of the wicked, But he blesseth the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Surely he scorns the scorners: but he gives grace unto the lowly.
Surely the scorners he treadeth scornfully, But giveth favor to the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
The wise shall obtain honor, But fools shall bear off shame.
