| Chapter
3 |
1 | My son,
forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: |
2 | For length of days, and long 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: |
4 | So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of
God and man. |
5 | Trust in
the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. |
6 | In all thy ways acknowledge
him, and he shall direct thy paths. |
7 |
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from
evil.
|
8 | It shall be
health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. |
9 | 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. |