Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
[My] son, forget not my laws; but let your heart keep my words:
2 For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.
for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; but bind them about your neck:
4 And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before God and men.
so shall you find favour: and do you provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
5 Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
Trust in God with all your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.
6 In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.
7 I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
Be not wise in your own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
8 For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
Then shall there be health to your body, and good keeping to your bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
Honour the Lord with your just labours, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:
10 And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your presses may burst forth with wine.
11 My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:
[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
12 For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
14 The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
15 She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.
And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
17 Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.
Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20 By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
21 My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
[My] son, let [them] not pass from [you], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:
23 Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.
24 If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26 For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.
27 Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have [power] to help [him].
28 Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do [him] good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth.
29 Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you.
30 Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.
31 Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.
32 For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit amongst the righteous.
33 Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34 He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
