Proverbs 3

1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;

2 for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.

3 Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

8 This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your crops;

10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;

12 for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.

13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,

14 for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.

16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.

18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.

19 The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.

20 By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.

21 My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.

22 They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.

23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.

25 Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.

27 Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.

28 Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”—when you already have the means.

29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.

30 Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;

32 for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.

33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.

34 He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.

35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.

1 ¶ My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

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

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

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

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

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

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

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

9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

17 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

32 For the froward [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 just.

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

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

1 My child, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.

2 For they shall bring thee long life, and good years, and peace;

3 Grace and faithfulness shall not fail thee. Hang them on your neck and write them on the tablet of your heart,

4 Then you will find favor and wisdom pleasing to God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not upon thine understanding;

6 But remember him in all thy ways, and he shall guide thee aright.

7 Thou shalt not be wise, but fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

8 This shall be health unto thy navel, and thy bones shall be refreshed.

9 Honour the LORD of thy substance, and of the firstfruits of all thy substance,

10 And thy barns shall be filled, and thy winepresses shall overflow with wine.

11 My child, do not reject the chastening of the Lord, and do not be impatient with His punishment!

12 For whom the LORD loveth he punisheth, and is well pleased with him, as a father with his son.

13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

14 For it is better to handle them, neither to handle silver; and their revenue is better than gold.

15 She is more precious than pearls; and all that thou mayest desire is not like her.

16 Long life is at her right hand; at her left hand are riches and honour.

17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.

18 It is a tree of life unto all them that lay hold upon it: and blessed are they that keep it.

19 For the LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth, and by his counsel hath prepared the heavens.

20 By his wisdom the deeps are divided, and the clouds are made dripping with dew.

21 My child, let them not depart from thine eyes, and thou shalt be blessed and wise.

22 This shall be the life of thy soul, and thy mouth shall be glad.

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

24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, but shalt sleep sweetly,

25 That thou shalt not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of the tempest of the wicked, when it cometh.

26 For the LORD is thy stoutness: he keepeth thy foot, that it be not taken.

27 Refuse not to do good to the needy, if thy hand hath from God to do it.

28 Say not unto thy friend, Go thy way, and come again; to morrow will I give thee, if thou be well pleased.

29 Seek not evil against thy friend, which dwelleth with thee in faithfulness.

30 Be not grieved with any without a cause, if he hath not wronged thee.

31 Be not eager after any iniquity, neither choose his ways.

32 For the LORD hath abhorred of the transgressor, and his secret is with the upright.

33 In the house of the wicked is the curse of the LORD: but the house of the righteous shall be blessed.

34 He will mock the scoffers; but he will give mercy to the wretched.

35 The wise shall inherit honour: but when fools come up, they are put to shame.