< Proverbs 3 >
1 My son, mine instruction, do not thou forget, and, my commandment, let thy heart observe;
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For, length of days and years of life, and blessedness, shall they add to thee.
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Lovingkindness and faithfulness, let them not forsake thee, —bind them, upon thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So find thou favour and good repute, in the eyes of God and man.
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of Elohim and man.
5 Trust thou in Yahweh, with all thy heart, and, unto thine own understanding, do not lean:
Trust in YHWH with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and, he, will make straight thy paths.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Do not become wise in thine own eyes, revere Yahweh, and avoid evil:
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear YHWH, and depart from evil.
8 Healing, shall it be to thy body, and refreshing, to thy bones.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour thou Yahweh, with thy substance, and with the firstfruit of all thine increase;
Honour YHWH with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and, with new wine, shall thy vats overflow.
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 The, chastening of Yahweh, my son, do not reject, nor loathe his rebuke;
My son, despise not the chastening of YHWH; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For, whom Yahweh loveth, he correcteth, he causeth pain to the son in whom he delighteth.
For whom YHWH loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 How happy the man who hath found wisdom, and the man who draweth forth understanding,
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For better is her merchandise, than the merchandise of silver, yea, than gold, her increase;
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 More precious, is she, than corals, yea, none of thy delightful things, doth equal her:
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days, is in her right hand, in her left, are riches and honour;
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
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 them who secure her, —and, they who hold her fast, are every one to be pronounced happy.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 Yahweh, in wisdom, founded the earth, establishing the heavens with understanding;
YHWH by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge, the resounding deeps were burst open, and, the skies, drop down dew.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let them not depart from thine eyes, guard thou counsel, and purpose:
My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they become life to thy soul, and an adorning to thy neck;
So shall they be life unto thy soul, and favour to thy neck.
23 Then, shalt thou walk securely in thy way, and, thy foot, shall not stumble;
Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24 When thou sittest down, thou shalt have no dread, yea thou shalt lie down, and sweet shall be thy sleep.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Be not thou afraid of sudden dread, nor of the desolation of the lawless, when it cometh.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26 For, Yahweh, will be in all thy ways, and will keep thy foot from the snare.
For YHWH shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Withhold not good from them who ask it, when it is in power of thy hand to do it:
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28 Do not say to thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.
Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not against thy neighbour an injury, seeing that, he, dwelleth securely by thee.
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Contend not with a man without cause, if he hath dealt thee no wrong.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Do not thou envy the man of violence, neither choose thou any of his ways;
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For, an abomination to Yahweh, is the tortuous man, but, with the upright, he is intimate.
For the froward is abomination to YHWH: but his secret is with the righteous.
33 The curse of Yahweh, is in the house of the lawless one, but, the home of the righteous, he blesseth.
The curse of YHWH is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34 Though at scoffers he scoffeth, yet, to the humbled, he granteth favour.
Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth favour unto the lowly.
35 Honour, shall the wise inherit, —but, as for dullards, shame shall carry them away.
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.