Proverbs 3:1-35

¹My son, forget not my laws; but let your heart keep my words:

²for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to you.

³Let not mercy and truth forsake you; but bind them about your neck:

⁴so shall you find favour: and do you provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.

⁵Trust in God with all your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.

⁶In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.

⁷Be not wise in your own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.

⁸Then shall there be health to your body, and good keeping to your bones.

⁹Honour the Lord with your just labours, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:

¹⁰that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your presses may burst forth with wine.

¹¹My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when you are rebuked of him:

¹²for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.

¹³Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.

¹⁴For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.

¹⁵And 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.

¹⁶For 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.

¹⁷Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.

¹⁸She 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.

¹⁹God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.

²⁰By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.

²¹My son, let them not pass from you, but keep my counsel and understanding:

²²that 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:

²³that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.

²⁴For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.

²⁵And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.

²⁶For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.

²⁷Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have power to help him.

²⁸Say 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.

²⁹Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you.

³⁰Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.

³¹Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.

³²For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit amongst the righteous.

³³The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.

³⁴The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.

³⁵The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted their own dishonour.