Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget my commands and keep my teachings in your heart,
MY son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Do not let covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness ever leave you, tie them together about your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 Then you will find favor and a good reputation in the sight of God and man.
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding;
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Yahweh and turn away from evil.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment for your body.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honor Yahweh with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce,
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 and your storehouses will be filled up and your vats will be bursting, full of new wine.
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise Yahweh's instruction and do not hate his rebuke,
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
12 for Yahweh disciplines those he loves, as a father deals with a son who pleases him.
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 The one who finds wisdom is blessed; he also gets understanding.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 What you gain from wisdom is better than what silver will give in return and its profit is better than gold.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than jewels and nothing you desire can compare to her.
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 She has length of days in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of kindness and all her paths are peace.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of it, those who hold on to it are happy.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth, by understanding he established the heavens.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths broke open and the clouds dropped their dew.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, keep sound judgment and discernment, and do not lose sight of them.
My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 They will be life to your soul and an adornment of favor to wear around your neck.
So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way in safety and your foot will not stumble;
Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or devastation caused by the wicked, when it comes,
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26 for Yahweh will be on your side and will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.
For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
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 your neighbor, “Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give it,” when you have the money with you.
Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29 Do not make a plan to harm your neighbor— the one who lives close and trusts you.
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Do not argue with a person without a reason, when he has done nothing to harm you.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent person or choose any of his ways.
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the devious person is detestable to Yahweh, but he brings the upright person into his confidence.
For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
33 The curse of Yahweh is on the house of the wicked person, but he blesses the home of righteous people.
The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34 He mocks mockers, but he gives his favor to humble people.
Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35 Wise people inherit honor, but fools will be lifted up in their shame.
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
