- 1My son, don’t forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:
- 2for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.
- 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 favor, 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.
- 9Honor 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 reproof:
- 12for whom the Lord loves, he reproves; 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 honor.
- 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 neighbor, “Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you,” when you have it by you.
- 29Don’t devise evil against your neighbor, 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.