Proverbes 3

¹ My son, don't forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments: ² for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you. ³ Don't let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴ So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. ⁷ Don't be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil. ⁸ It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones. ⁹ Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase: ¹⁰ so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. ¹¹ My son, don't despise Yahweh's discipline, neither be weary of his reproof: ¹² for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights. ¹³ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding. ¹⁴ For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her. ¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her. ¹⁹ By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens. ²⁰ By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew. ²¹ My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion: ²² so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck. ²³ Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won't stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Don't be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes: ²⁶ for Yahweh will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken. ²⁷ Don't withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it. ²⁸ Don't say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you," when you have it by you. ²⁹ Don't devise evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you. ³⁰ Don't strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm. ³¹ Don't envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways. ³² For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh, but his friendship is with the upright. ³³ Yahweh's curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous. ³⁴ Surely he mocks the mockers, but he gives grace to the humble. ³⁵ The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.