Proverbs 3
1 My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
2 for they will add to you length of days, years of life, and peace.
For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
4 So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
8 It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.
This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase;
Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
10 so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
11 My son, don’t despise the LORD’s discipline, neither be weary of his correction;
My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
12 for whom the LORD loves, he corrects, even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.
Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
14 For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.
For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.
Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.
She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
19 By wisdom the LORD founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.
The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place.
20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
22 so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.
So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
23 Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.
Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.
When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
25 Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;
Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
26 for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.
For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
27 Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.
Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
29 Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, since he dwells securely by you.
Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
30 Don’t strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.
Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
31 Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.
Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
32 For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD, but his friendship is with the upright.
For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
33 The LORD’s curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright.
34 Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble.
He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
35 The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.
The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.
