Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thy heart keep my commandments;
My son, forget not my teaching, and let thy heart keep my commandments;
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they increase unto thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thy heart:
Let kindness and truth not forsake thee; bind them about thy throat; write them upon the table of thy heart:
4 So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the eyes 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 thy heart: and upon thy own understanding do not rely.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make level thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
It will be healing to thy body, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thy increase:
Honor the Lord with thy wealth, and with the first-fruits of all thy products:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and with new wine shall thy presses overflow.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
The correction of the Lord, my son, do not despise; and feel no loathing for his admonition;
12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.
Because whomever the Lord loveth he admonisheth; and as a father who delighteth in [his] son.
13 Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding.
Happy the man that hath found wisdom, and the man that acquireth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain of it than fine gold.
For the obtaining of her is better than the obtaining of silver, and better than fine gold is her product.
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 pearls; and all the things thou valuest are not equal unto her.
16 Length of days [is] in her right hand; [and] in her left hand riches and honor.
Length of days is in her right hand: in her left are riches and honor.
17 Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, 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 them that lay hold upon her: and happy [is every one] that retaineth her.
A tree of life is she to those that lay hold on her: and every one that firmly graspeth her will be made happy.
19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
The Lord hath through wisdom founded the earth: he hath established the heavens through understanding.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
By his knowledge were the depths split open, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not them depart from thy eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
My son, let them not be removed from thy eyes; keep [before thee] sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
And they will be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy throat.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
Then wilt thou walk in safety on thy way, and thy foot will not strike [against aught]:
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: but thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
When thou layest thyself down, thou shalt feel no dread; and as thou liest down, thy sleep shall be pleasant.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
Thou needest not to be afraid of sudden dread, neither of the [unlooked-for] tempest over the wicked, when it cometh.
26 For the LORD will be thy confidence, and will keep thy foot from being taken.
For the Lord will be thy confidence, and he will guard thy foot from being caught.
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do [it].
Withhold not a benefit from him who is deserving it, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28 Say not to thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and return, and tomorrow will I give: when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Contrive not against thy neighbor any evil, when he dwelleth in safety with thee.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he hath done thee no harm.
Quarrel not with any man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the froward [is] abomination to the LORD: but his secret [is] with the righteous.
For the froward is an abomination to the Lord; but with the upright is his good-will.
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 in the house of the wicked; but the habitation of the righteous will he bless.
34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace to the lowly.
If [it concern] the scornful he will himself render them a scorn; but unto the lowly doth he give grace.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
The wise shall inherit glory; but fools shall obtain disgrace as their portion.
