Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget my commands and keep my teachings in your heart,
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
For length of days and years, Life and peace they do 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 kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
4 Then you will find favor and a good reputation in the sight of God and man.
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding;
Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
6 in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight 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 Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment for your body.
Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
9 Honor Yahweh with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce,
Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
10 and your storehouses will be filled up and your vats will be bursting, full of new wine.
And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
11 My son, do not despise Yahweh's instruction and do not hate his rebuke,
Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
12 for Yahweh disciplines those he loves, as a father deals with a son who pleases him.
For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 The one who finds wisdom is blessed; he also gets understanding.
O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
14 What you gain from wisdom is better than what silver will give in return and its profit is better than gold.
For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold — her increase.
15 Wisdom is more precious than jewels and nothing you desire can compare to her.
Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to 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 [are] wealth 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.
A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth, by understanding he established the heavens.
Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 By his knowledge the depths broke open and the clouds dropped their dew.
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
21 My son, keep sound judgment and discernment, and do not lose sight of them.
My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 They will be life to your soul and an adornment of favor to wear around your neck.
And they are 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 thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or devastation caused by the wicked, when it comes,
Be not afraid of sudden fear, And 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 Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God 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 thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
29 Do not make a plan to harm your neighbor— the one who lives close and trusts you.
Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with 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 not done thee evil.
31 Do not envy a violent person or choose any of his ways.
Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
32 For the devious person is detestable to Yahweh, but he brings the upright person into his confidence.
For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
33 The curse of Yahweh is on the house of the wicked person, but he blesses the home of righteous people.
The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
34 He mocks mockers, but he gives his favor to humble people.
If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
35 Wise people inherit honor, but fools will be lifted up in their shame.
Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
