Proverbs 3
1 [My] son, forget not my laws; but let your heart keep my words:
My son, forget not my teaching, And let thy heart observe my precepts!
2 for length of existence, and years of 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; but bind them about your neck:
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 favor: and do you provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
Then shalt thou find favor and good success In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in God with all your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.
Trust in the LORD with all thy heart, And lean not on thine own understanding;
6 In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will make thy paths plain.
7 Be not wise in your own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 Then shall there be health to your body, and good keeping to your bones.
It shall be health to thy muscles, And moisture to thy bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your just labors, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:
Honor the LORD with thy substance, And with the first-fruits of all thy increase;
10 that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your presses may burst forth with 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; nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
My son, despise not the correction of the LORD, Nor be impatient under his chastisement!
12 for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
For whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth, Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
Happy the man who findeth wisdom; Yea, the man who getteth understanding!
14 For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
For the profit thereof is greater than that of silver, And the gain thereof than that of fine gold.
15 And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
More precious is she than pearls, And none of thy jewels is to be compared with her.
16 For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
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 God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he framed the heavens.
20 By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
By his knowledge the deep waters were cleft, And the clouds drop down the dew.
21 [My] son, let [them] not pass from [you], but keep my counsel and understanding:
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion!
22 that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:
For they shall be life to thy soul, And grace to thy neck.
23 that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.
Then shalt thou go on thy way securely, And thy foot shall not stumble;
24 For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
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 over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.
For the LORD shall be thy confidence; Yea, he will keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have [power] to help [him].
Withhold not kindness from those who need it, When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28 Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do [him] good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth.
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 friend, living near you and trusting in you.
Devise not evil against thy neighbor, While he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.
Contend not with a man without cause, When he hath done thee no harm.
31 Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.
Envy not the oppressor, And choose none of his ways.
32 For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
For the perverse man is the abomination of the LORD, But he is in friendship with the upright.
33 The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
The curse of the LORD is upon the house of the wicked, But he blesseth the dwelling of the righteous.
34 The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
Surely the scorners he treadeth scornfully, But giveth favor to the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonor.
The wise shall obtain honor, But fools shall bear off shame.
