Proverbs 3

¹My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts

²For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace

³Let not mercy and truth abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart

⁴And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men

⁵Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence

⁶In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps

⁷Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil

⁸Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones

⁹Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits

¹⁰and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine

¹¹My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him

¹²For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over

¹³Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence

¹⁴Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold

¹⁵She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her

¹⁶Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory

¹⁷Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceful

¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed

¹⁹The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence

²⁰By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew

²¹My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel

²²And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice

²³Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble

²⁴When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet

²⁵Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you

²⁶For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized

²⁷Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too

²⁸Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present

²⁹Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you

³⁰Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you

³¹Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways

³²For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple

³³Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed

³⁴He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild

³⁵The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful