Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget my commands and keep my teachings in your heart,
My son, forget not my teaching, And let thy heart observe my precepts!
2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
For length of days, and years of life, And peace shall they multiply 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 kindness and truth forsake thee; Bind them around thy neck, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 Then you will find favor and a good reputation in the sight of God and man.
Then shalt thou find favor and good success 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 thy heart, And lean not on 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 will make thy paths plain.
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 muscles, And moisture to thy bones.
9 Honor Yahweh with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce,
Honor the LORD with thy substance, And with the first-fruits of all thy 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 vats overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise Yahweh's instruction and do not hate his rebuke,
My son, despise not the correction of the LORD, Nor be impatient under his chastisement!
12 for Yahweh disciplines those he loves, as a father deals with a son who pleases him.
For whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth, Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 The one who finds wisdom is blessed; he also gets understanding.
Happy the man who findeth wisdom; Yea, the man who 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 profit thereof is greater than that of silver, And the gain thereof than that of fine gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than jewels and nothing you desire can compare to her.
More precious is she than pearls, And none of thy jewels is to be compared with 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; In her left hand are riches and honor.
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 of her, And happy is every one who hath her in his grasp.
19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth, by understanding he established the heavens.
The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he framed the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths broke open and the clouds dropped their dew.
By his knowledge the deep waters were cleft, 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 them not 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.
For they shall be life to 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 go on thy way securely, 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 thou afraid of sudden alarm, Nor of the storm that is for 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; Yea, he will 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 kindness from those who need it, When it is in the power of thy 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 to thy neighbor, “Go, and come again, And to-morrow I will give to thee,” 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 neighbor, While he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Do not argue with a person without a reason, when he has done nothing to harm you.
Contend not with a man without cause, When he hath done thee no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent person or choose any of his ways.
Envy 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 perverse man is the abomination of the LORD, But he is in friendship with the upright.
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 upon the house of the wicked, But he blesseth the dwelling of the righteous.
34 He mocks mockers, but he gives his favor to humble people.
Surely the scorners he treadeth scornfully, But giveth favor to the lowly.
35 Wise people inherit honor, but fools will be lifted up in their shame.
The wise shall obtain honor, But fools shall bear off shame.
