Proverbs 3

¹My son, don’t forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments,

²for they will add to you length of days,

years of life, and peace.

³Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.

Bind them around your neck.

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴So you will find favour,

and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and don’t lean on your own understanding.

⁶In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

⁷Don’t be wise in your own eyes.

Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

⁸It will be health to your body,

and nourishment to your bones.

⁹Honour the LORD with your substance,

with the first fruits of all your increase;

¹⁰so your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will overflow with new wine.

¹¹My son, don’t despise the LORD’s discipline,

neither be weary of his correction;

¹²for whom the LORD loves, he corrects,

even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

¹³Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

the man who gets understanding.

¹⁴For her good profit is better than getting silver,

and her return is better than fine gold.

¹⁵She is more precious than rubies.

None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand.

In her left hand are riches and honour.

¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness.

All her paths are peace.

¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.

Happy is everyone who retains her.

¹⁹By wisdom the LORD founded the earth.

By understanding, he established the heavens.

²⁰By his knowledge, the depths were broken up,

and the skies drop down the dew.

²¹My son, let them not depart from your eyes.

Keep sound wisdom and discretion,

²²so they will be life to your soul,

and grace for your neck.

²³Then you shall walk in your way securely.

Your foot won’t stumble.

²⁴When you lie down, you will not be afraid.

Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵Don’t be afraid of sudden fear,

neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes;

²⁶for the LORD will be your confidence,

and will keep your foot from being taken.

²⁷Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

²⁸Don’t say to your neighbour, “Go, and come again;

tomorrow I will give it to you,”

when you have it by you.

²⁹Don’t devise evil against your neighbour,

since he dwells securely by you.

³⁰Don’t strive with a man without cause,

if he has done you no harm.

³¹Don’t envy the man of violence.

Choose none of his ways.

³²For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD,

but his friendship is with the upright.

³³The LORD’s curse is in the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

³⁴Surely he mocks the mockers,

but he gives grace to the humble.

³⁵The wise will inherit glory,

but shame will be the promotion of fools.