Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my teaching, and let thy heart keep my commandments;
My son! Do not forget my law, And let your heart keep my commands,
2 For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they increase unto thee.
For [the] length of [your] days and years, Life and peace they add to you.
3 Let kindness and truth not forsake thee; bind them about thy throat; write them upon the table of thy heart:
Do not let kindness and truth forsake you, Bind them on your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man.
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thy heart: and upon thy own understanding do not rely.
Trust to YHWH with all your heart, And do not lean to your own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make level thy paths.
In all your ways know Him, And He makes your paths straight.
7 Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
Do not be wise in your own eyes, Fear YHWH, and turn aside from evil.
8 It will be healing to thy body, and marrow to thy bones.
It is healing to your navel, And moistening to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with thy wealth, and with the first-fruits of all thy products:
Honor YHWH from your substance, And from the beginning of all your increase;
10 So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and with new wine shall thy presses overflow.
And your barns are filled [with] plenty, And your presses break forth [with] new wine.
11 The correction of the Lord, my son, do not despise; and feel no loathing for his admonition;
Discipline of YHWH, my son, do not despise, And do not be distressed with His reproof,
12 Because whomever the Lord loveth he admonisheth; and as a father who delighteth in [his] son.
For whom YHWH loves He reproves, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 Happy the man that hath found wisdom, and the man that acquireth understanding.
O the blessedness of a man [who] has found wisdom, And of a man [who] brings forth understanding.
14 For the obtaining of her is better than the obtaining of silver, and better than fine gold is her product.
For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold—her increase.
15 She is more precious than pearls; and all the things thou valuest are not equal unto her.
She [is] precious above rubies, And all your pleasures are not comparable to her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand: in her left are riches and honor.
Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth 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 A tree of life is she to those that lay hold on her: and every one that firmly graspeth her will be made happy.
She [is] a tree of life to those laying hold on her, And whoever is retaining her [is] blessed.
19 The Lord hath through wisdom founded the earth: he hath established the heavens through understanding.
YHWH founded the earth by wisdom, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 By his knowledge were the depths split open, and the skies drop down the dew.
By His knowledge depths have been broken, And clouds drop dew.
21 My son, let them not be removed from thy eyes; keep [before thee] sound wisdom and discretion:
My son! Do not let them turn from your eyes, Keep wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 And they will be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy throat.
And they are life to your soul, and grace to your neck.
23 Then wilt thou walk in safety on thy way, and thy foot will not strike [against aught]:
Then you go your way confidently, And your foot does not stumble.
24 When thou layest thyself down, thou shalt feel no dread; and as thou liest down, thy sleep shall be pleasant.
If you lie down, you are not afraid, Indeed, you have lain down, And your sleep has been sweet.
25 Thou needest not to be afraid of sudden dread, neither of the [unlooked-for] tempest over the wicked, when it cometh.
Do not be afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it comes.
26 For the Lord will be thy confidence, and he will guard thy foot from being caught.
For YHWH is at your side, And He has kept your foot from capture.
27 Withhold not a benefit from him who is deserving it, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
Do not withhold good from its owners, When your hand [is] toward God to do [it].
28 Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and return, and tomorrow will I give: when thou hast it by thee.
Do not say to your friend, “Go, and return, and tomorrow I give,” When substance [is] with you.
29 Contrive not against thy neighbor any evil, when he dwelleth in safety with thee.
Do not devise evil against your neighbor, And he sitting confidently with you.
30 Quarrel not with any man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has not done you evil.
31 Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
Do not be envious of a man of violence, Nor fix on any of his ways.
32 For the froward is an abomination to the Lord; but with the upright is his good-will.
For the perverted [is] an abomination to YHWH, And His secret counsel [is] with the upright.
33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked; but the habitation of the righteous will he bless.
The curse of YHWH [is] in the house of the wicked. And He blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34 If [it concern] the scornful he will himself render them a scorn; but unto the lowly doth he give grace.
If He scorns the scorners, Yet He gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory; but fools shall obtain disgrace as their portion.
The wise inherit glory, And fools are bearing away shame!
