Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thy heart keep my commandments;
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thy heart:
Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thy heart; and lean not to thy own understanding.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths.
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
7 Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thy increase:
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;
12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.
for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.
13 Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding.
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,
14 For the merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain of it than fine gold.
for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her.
She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Length of days [is] in her right hand; [and] in her left hand riches and honor.
Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, and all her paths [are] peace.
All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 She [is] a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy [is every one] that retaineth her.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
21 My son, let not them depart from thy eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.
22 So shall they be life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: but thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 For the LORD will be thy confidence, and will keep thy foot from being taken.
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do [it].
Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.
28 Say not to thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he hath done thee no harm.
Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.
31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;
32 For the froward [is] abomination to the LORD: but his secret [is] with the righteous.
for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.
33 The curse of the LORD [is] in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.
34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace to the lowly.
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.
