1 | My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments. |
2 | For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace. |
3 | Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart: |
4 | And thou shalt find grace and good understanding before God and men. |
5 | Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence. |
6 | In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps. |
7 | Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil: |
8 | For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones. |
9 | Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits: |
10 | And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine. |
11 | My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him: |
12 | For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself. |
13 | Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence: |
14 | The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold: |
15 | She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her. |
16 | Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory. |
17 | Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable. |
18 | She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed. |
19 | The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence. |
20 | By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew. |
21 | My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel: |
22 | And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth. |
23 | Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble: |
24 | If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet. |
25 | Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee. |
26 | For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken. |
27 | Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also. |
28 | Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present. |
29 | Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee. |
30 | Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil. |
31 | Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways: |
32 | For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple. |
33 | Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed. |
34 | He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace. |
35 | The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace. |