- 1My son, forget not my law; But let thy heart keep my commandments:
- 2For length of days, and years of life, And peace, will they add to thee.
- 3Let not kindness and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
- 4So shalt thou find favor and good understanding In the sight of God and man.
- 5Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding:
- 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.
- 7Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:
- 8It will be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones.
- 9Honor Jehovah with thy substance, And with the first-fruits of all thine increase:
- 10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
- 11My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah; Neither be weary of his reproof:
- 12For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth; Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
- 13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding.
- 14For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, And the profit thereof than fine gold.
- 15She is more precious than rubies: And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.
- 16Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
- 17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
- 18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: And happy is every one that retaineth her.
- 19Jehovah by wisdom 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 thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
- 22So shall they be life unto thy soul, And grace to thy neck.
- 23Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, And thy foot shall not stumble.
- 24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
- 25Be not afraid of sudden fear, Neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh:
- 26For Jehovah will be thy confidence, And will keep thy foot from being taken.
- 27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
- 28Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, And to-morrow I will give; When thou hast it by thee.
- 29Devise not evil against thy neighbor, Seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
- 30Strive not with a man without cause, If he have done thee no harm.
- 31Envy thou not the man of violence, And choose none of his ways.
- 32For the perverse is an abomination to Jehovah; But his friendship is with the upright.
- 33The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked; But he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
- 34Surely he scoffeth at the scoffers; But he giveth grace unto the lowly.
- 35The wise shall inherit glory; But shame shall be the promotion of fools.