Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget what I have taught you. Keep my commands in your inner being,
My son, mine instruction, do not thou forget, and, my commandment, let thy heart observe;
2 because [if you obey them] you will live a long time and things will go well for you
For, length of days and years of life, and blessedness, shall they add to thee.
3 Always faithfully love others and (be faithful/do what you say that you will do); doing those things [will cause others to be pleased with you]; it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace. Keep those things in your mind/inner being.
Lovingkindness and faithfulness, let them not forsake thee, —bind them, upon thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 If you do, God and people will approve of you and think highly of you [MTY].
So find thou favour and good repute, in the eyes of God and man.
5 Trust in Yahweh completely, and do not rely on what you yourself understand.
Trust thou in Yahweh, with all thy heart, and, unto thine own understanding, do not lean:
6 Always allow him to lead you. If you do that, he will (show you the right path/direct your life).
In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and, he, will make straight thy paths.
7 Do not be proud of being wise. [Instead], revere Yahweh and turn away from doing evil.
Do not become wise in thine own eyes, revere Yahweh, and avoid evil:
8 If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong; it will be [like] medicine for you.
Healing, shall it be to thy body, and refreshing, to thy bones.
9 Honor Yahweh by [what you do with] your money; and [by giving him] the first part of your harvest.
Honour thou Yahweh, with thy substance, and with the firstfruit of all thine increase;
10 If you do that, [you will have a good harvest]. Yahweh will fill your barns [with grain], and your vats/containers will be overflowing with [grape juice for making] wine.
So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and, with new wine, shall thy vats overflow.
11 My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it, and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.
The, chastening of Yahweh, my son, do not reject, nor loathe his rebuke;
12 [I say that] because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves, [just] like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.
For, whom Yahweh loveth, he correcteth, he causeth pain to the son in whom he delighteth.
13 [Yahweh] is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.
How happy the man who hath found wisdom, and the man who draweth forth understanding,
14 Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver, better than gold.
For better is her merchandise, than the merchandise of silver, yea, than gold, her increase;
15 Being wise is more precious than (jewels/precious stones); there is nothing that you could desire [that would be as valuable] as wisdom.
More precious, is she, than corals, yea, none of thy delightful things, doth equal her:
16 On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables [you] to live a long life, and on the other hand, wisdom enables [you] to become rich and to be honored.
Length of days, is in her right hand, in her left, are riches and honour;
17 If [you] are wise, [your] life will be pleasant, and things will go well [for you].
Her ways, are ways of pleasantness, and, all her paths, are peace;
18 Wisdom is [like] a tree that gives long life to those who [eagerly] take hold of it, and [Yahweh] is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.
A tree of life, is she, to them who secure her, —and, they who hold her fast, are every one to be pronounced happy.
19 By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth, and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.
Yahweh, in wisdom, founded the earth, establishing the heavens with understanding;
20 By his knowledge [he caused] the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.
By his knowledge, the resounding deeps were burst open, and, the skies, drop down dew.
21 My son, [always] keep doing things that are right and things that are smart. If you do that,
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes, guard thou counsel, and purpose:
22 you will live [many years] and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.
So shall they become life to thy soul, and an adorning to thy neck;
23 If you do what is right and wise, you will [be able to] walk safely, and you will not (stumble/do things that are wrong) [MET].
Then, shalt thou walk securely in thy way, and, thy foot, shall not stumble;
24 You will [be able to] lie down [at night] and not be afraid [of anything], and you will sleep peacefully.
When thou sittest down, thou shalt have no dread, yea thou shalt lie down, and sweet shall be thy sleep.
25 You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,
Be not thou afraid of sudden dread, nor of the desolation of the lawless, when it cometh.
26 because you will be confident that Yahweh [will take care of you]. He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.
For, Yahweh, will be in all thy ways, and will keep thy foot from the snare.
27 If you are able to help people who deserve it, do not refuse to help them.
Withhold not good from them who ask it, when it is in power of thy hand to do it:
28 If you are able to help someone you interact with, do not say, “Come back later; [perhaps] I can help you tomorrow.”
Do not say to thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.
29 Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly, [because] they live near you, and they trust you.
Devise not against thy neighbour an injury, seeing that, he, dwelleth securely by thee.
30 If someone has not harmed you, do not accuse him [by saying that he has harmed you].
Contend not with a man without cause, if he hath dealt thee no wrong.
31 Do not envy people who [obtain things by] violent actions, and do not imitate/do what they do.
Do not thou envy the man of violence, neither choose thou any of his ways;
32 [I say that] because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable; but he is a friend to [all] those who do what is right.
For, an abomination to Yahweh, is the tortuous man, but, with the upright, he is intimate.
33 Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked, but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.
The curse of Yahweh, is in the house of the lawless one, but, the home of the righteous, he blesseth.
34 Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun [of others], but he kindly helps those who are humble.
Though at scoffers he scoffeth, yet, to the humbled, he granteth favour.
35 Wise [people] will be honored {people will honor wise people}, but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.
Honour, shall the wise inherit, —but, as for dullards, shame shall carry them away.
