Proverbs 3

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

² For length of days, and years of 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:

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

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding:

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

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

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

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 vats shall overflow with new wine.

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

¹² For whom the LORD loveth he reproveth; 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 none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.

¹⁶ Length of days is in her right had; in her left hand are 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 founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.

²⁰ By his knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies 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 securely, 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 tomorrow 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 man of violence, and choose none of his ways.

³² For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the upright.

³³ The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked; but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.

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.