Proverbs 3

1 My son, forget not my law; but let thy heart keep my commandments;

My son, do not forget what I have taught you. Keep my commands in your inner being,

2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

because [if you obey them] you will live a long time and things will go well for you

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thy heart:

Always faithfully love others and (be faithful/do what you say that you will do); doing those things [will cause others to be pleased with you]; it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace. Keep those things in your mind/inner being.

4 So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

If you do, God and people will approve of you and think highly of you [MTY].

5 Trust in the LORD with all thy heart; and lean not to thy own understanding.

Trust in Yahweh completely, and do not rely on what you yourself understand.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths.

Always allow him to lead you. If you do that, he will (show you the right path/direct your life).

7 Be not wise in thy own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Do not be proud of being wise. [Instead], revere Yahweh and turn away from doing evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong; it will be [like] medicine for you.

9 Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thy increase:

Honor Yahweh by [what you do with] your money; and [by giving him] the first part of your harvest.

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

If you do that, [you will have a good harvest]. Yahweh will fill your barns [with grain], and your vats/containers will be overflowing with [grape juice for making] wine.

11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it, and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.

12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.

[I say that] because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves, [just] like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.

13 Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding.

[Yahweh] is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.

14 For the merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain of it than fine gold.

Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver, better than gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her.

Being wise is more precious than (jewels/precious stones); there is nothing that you could desire [that would be as valuable] as wisdom.

16 Length of days [is] in her right hand; [and] in her left hand riches and honor.

On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables [you] to live a long life, and on the other hand, wisdom enables [you] to become rich and to be honored.

17 Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, and all her paths [are] peace.

If [you] are wise, [your] life will be pleasant, and things will go well [for you].

18 She [is] a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy [is every one] that retaineth her.

Wisdom is [like] a tree that gives long life to those who [eagerly] take hold of it, and [Yahweh] is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.

19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth, and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.

20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

By his knowledge [he caused] the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.

21 My son, let not them depart from thy eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

My son, [always] keep doing things that are right and things that are smart. If you do that,

22 So shall they be life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

you will live [many years] and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.

23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

If you do what is right and wise, you will [be able to] walk safely, and you will not (stumble/do things that are wrong) [MET].

24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: but thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

You will [be able to] lie down [at night] and not be afraid [of anything], and you will sleep peacefully.

25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,

26 For the LORD will be thy confidence, and will keep thy foot from being taken.

because you will be confident that Yahweh [will take care of you]. He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.

27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do [it].

If you are able to help people who deserve it, do not refuse to help them.

28 Say not to thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

If you are able to help someone you interact with, do not say, “Come back later; [perhaps] I can help you tomorrow.”

29 Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly, [because] they live near you, and they trust you.

30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he hath done thee no harm.

If someone has not harmed you, do not accuse him [by saying that he has harmed you].

31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

Do not envy people who [obtain things by] violent actions, and do not imitate/do what they do.

32 For the froward [is] abomination to the LORD: but his secret [is] with the righteous.

[I say that] because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable; but he is a friend to [all] those who do what is right.

33 The curse of the LORD [is] in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked, but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.

34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace to the lowly.

Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun [of others], but he kindly helps those who are humble.

35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Wise [people] will be honored {people will honor wise people}, but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.