Proverbs 3
1 My son! Do not forget my law, And let your heart keep my commands,
My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
2 For [the] length of [your] days and years, Life and peace they add to you.
For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Do not let kindness and truth forsake you, Bind them on your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
5 Trust to YHWH with all your heart, And do not lean to your own understanding.
Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
6 In all your ways know Him, And He makes your paths straight.
In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes, Fear YHWH, and turn aside from evil.
Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
8 It is healing to your navel, And moistening to your bones.
This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
9 Honor YHWH from your substance, And from the beginning of all your increase;
Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
10 And your barns are filled [with] plenty, And your presses break forth [with] new wine.
So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
11 Discipline of YHWH, my son, do not despise, And do not be distressed with His reproof,
My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
12 For whom YHWH loves He reproves, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
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 O the blessedness of a man [who] has found wisdom, And of a man [who] brings forth understanding.
Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
14 For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold—her increase.
For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
15 She [is] precious above rubies, And all your pleasures are not comparable to 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 days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honor.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
17 Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.
Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
18 She [is] a tree of life to those laying hold on her, And whoever is retaining her [is] blessed.
She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
19 YHWH founded the earth by wisdom, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
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 depths have been broken, And clouds drop dew.
By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
21 My son! Do not let them turn from your eyes, Keep wisdom and thoughtfulness,
My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
22 And they are life to your soul, and grace to your neck.
So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
23 Then you go your way confidently, And your foot does not stumble.
Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
24 If you lie down, you are not afraid, Indeed, you have lain down, And your sleep has been sweet.
When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it comes.
Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
26 For YHWH is at your side, And He has kept your foot from capture.
For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
27 Do not withhold good from its owners, When your hand [is] toward God to do [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 Do not say to your friend, “Go, and return, and tomorrow I give,” When substance [is] with you.
Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, And he sitting confidently with you.
Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
30 Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has not done you evil.
Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
31 Do not be envious of a man of violence, Nor fix on any of his ways.
Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
32 For the perverted [is] an abomination to YHWH, And His secret counsel [is] with the upright.
For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
33 The curse of YHWH [is] in the house of the wicked. And He blesses 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 If He scorns the scorners, Yet He gives grace to the humble.
He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
35 The wise inherit glory, And fools are bearing away shame!
The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.
