The Rewards of Wisdom

My son, (A)do not forget my [a]teaching,
But have your heart (B)comply with my commandments;
For (C)length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
Do not let (D)kindness and truth leave you;
(E)Bind them around your neck,
(F)Write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will (G)find favor and a (H)good [b]reputation
In the sight of God and man.
(I)Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And (J)do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways (K)acknowledge Him,
And He will (L)make your paths straight.
(M)Do not be wise in your own eyes;
(N)Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
It will be (O)healing to your [c]body
And (P)refreshment to your bones.
(Q)Honor the Lord from your wealth,
And from the (R)first of all your produce;
10 Then your (S)barns will be filled with plenty,
And your (T)vats will overflow with new wine.
11 (U)My son, do not reject the [d]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His rebuke,
12 For (V)whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
Just (W)as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

13 (X)Blessed is a person who finds wisdom,
And one who obtains understanding.
14 For [e]her (Y)profit is better than the profit of silver,
And her produce better than gold.
15 She is (Z)more precious than [f]jewels,
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 [g](AA)Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are (AB)riches and honor.
17 Her (AC)ways are pleasant ways,
And all her paths are (AD)peace.
18 She is a (AE)tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are those who hold on to her.
19 The Lord founded the earth (AF)by wisdom,
He (AG)established the heavens by understanding.
20 By His knowledge the (AH)ocean depths were burst open,
And the (AI)clouds drip with dew.
21 My son, see that (AJ)they do not escape from your sight;
Comply with sound wisdom and discretion,
22 And they will be (AK)life to your soul
And (AL)adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will (AM)walk in your way securely,
And your foot will not (AN)stumble.
24 When you (AO)lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 (AP)Do not be afraid of sudden danger,
Nor of (AQ)trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be [h]your confidence,
And will (AR)keep your foot from being caught.

27 (AS)Do not withhold good from [i]those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
28 (AT)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it to you,”
When you have it with you.
29 (AU)Do not devise harm against your neighbor,
While he lives securely beside you.
30 (AV)Do not contend with a person for no reason,
If he has done you no harm.
31 (AW)Do not envy a violent person,
And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the (AX)devious are an abomination to the Lord;
But [j]He is (AY)intimate with the upright.
33 The (AZ)curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But He (BA)blesses the home of the righteous.
34 Though (BB)He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet (BC)He gives grace to the needy.
35 (BD)The wise will inherit honor,
But fools [k]increase dishonor.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:1 Or law
  2. Proverbs 3:4 Lit understanding
  3. Proverbs 3:8 Lit navel
  4. Proverbs 3:11 Or instruction
  5. Proverbs 3:14 I.e., the profit from Wisdom (personified)
  6. Proverbs 3:15 Lit corals
  7. Proverbs 3:16 Lit Length of days
  8. Proverbs 3:26 Or at your side
  9. Proverbs 3:27 Lit its owners
  10. Proverbs 3:32 Lit His private counsel is
  11. Proverbs 3:35 Lit raise high

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

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

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 unto 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 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.