< Proverbs 3 >

1 My sonne, forget not thou my Lawe, but let thine heart keepe my commandements.
My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments:
2 For they shall increase the length of thy dayes and the yeeres of life, and thy prosperitie.
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to you.
3 Let not mercie and trueth forsake thee: binde them on thy necke, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them upon the table of your heart:
4 So shalt thou finde fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man.
So shall you find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and leane not vnto thine owne wisdome.
Trust in the LORD with all of your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding.
6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy wayes.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.
7 Be not wise in thine owne eyes: but feare the Lord, and depart from euill.
Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 So health shalbe vnto thy nauel, and marowe vnto thy bones.
It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy riches, and with the first fruites of all thine increase.
Honour the LORD with your substance, and with the first-fruits of all of your increase:
10 So shall thy barnes be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall burst with newe wine.
So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 My sonne, refuse not the chastening of the Lord, neither be grieued with his correction.
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For the Lord correcteth him, whome he loueth, euen as the father doeth the childe in whom he deliteth.
For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.
13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome, and the man that getteth vnderstanding.
Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding.
14 For the marchandise thereof is better then the marchandise of siluer, and the gaine thereof is better then golde.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 It is more precious then pearles: and all things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared vnto her.
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you can desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasure, and all her pathes prosperitie.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay holde on her, and blessed is he that retaineth her.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retains her.
19 The Lord by wisdome hath layde the foundation of the earth, and hath stablished the heauens through vnderstanding.
The LORD by wisdom has founded the earth; by understanding has he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depthes are broken vp, and the cloudes droppe downe the dewe.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My sonne, let not these things depart from thine eyes, but obserue wisdome, and counsell.
My son, let not them depart from your eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So they shalbe life to thy soule, and grace vnto thy necke.
So shall they be life unto your soul, and grace to your neck.
23 Then shalt thou walke safely by thy way: and thy foote shall not stumble.
Then shall you walk in your way safely, and your foot shall not stumble.
24 If thou sleepest, thou shalt not bee afraide, and when thou sleepest, thy sleepe shalbe sweete.
When you lie down, you shall not be afraid: yea, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.
25 Thou shalt not feare for any sudden feare, neither for the destruction of the wicked, when it commeth.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes.
26 For the Lord shall be for thine assurance, and shall preserue thy foote from taking.
For the LORD shall be your confidence, and shall keep your foot from being taken.
27 Withhold not the good from the owners thereof, though there be power in thine hand to doe it.
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Say not vnto thy neighbour, Go and come againe, and to morow wil I giue thee, if thou now haue it.
Say not unto your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you.
29 Intend none hurt against thy neighbour, seeing he doeth dwell without feare by thee.
Devise not evil against your neighbour, seeing he dwells securely by you.
30 Striue not with a man causelesse, when he hath done thee no harme.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done you no harm.
31 Bee not enuious for the wicked man, neither chuse any of his wayes.
Envy you not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the frowarde is abomination vnto the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
For the perverse is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesses the habitation of the just.
34 With the scornefull he scorneth, but hee giueth grace vnto the humble.
Surely he scorns the scorners: but he gives grace unto the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherite glorie: but fooles dishonour, though they be exalted.
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

< Proverbs 3 >