Proverbs 3

English Standard Version Anglicised

3 ^(A)My son, do not forget my teaching,
    ^(B)but let your heart keep my commandments,
² for ^(C)length of days and years of life
    and ^(D)peace they will add to you.
³ Let not ^(E)steadfast love and ^(F)faithfulness forsake you;
    ^(G)bind them round your neck;
    ^(H)write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ So you will ^(I)find favour and ^(J)good success^[a]
    in the sight of God and man.
^5 (K)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and ^(L)do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways ^(M)acknowledge him,
    and he ^(N)will make straight your paths.
^7 (O)Be not wise in your own eyes;
    ^(P)fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸ It will be ^(Q)healing to your flesh^[b]
    and ^(R)refreshment^[c] to your bones.
⁹ Honour the Lord with your wealth
    and with ^(S)the firstfruits of all your produce;
¹⁰ then your ^(T)barns will be filled with plenty,
    and your vats will be bursting with wine.
^11 (U)My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
¹² for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as ^(V)a father the son in whom he delights.

^13 (W)Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
^14 (X)for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than ^(Y)gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than ^(Z)jewels,
    and ^(AA)nothing you desire can compare with her.
^16 (AB)Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are ^(AC)riches and honour.
¹⁷ Her ^(AD)ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸ She is ^(AE)a tree of life to those who ^(AF)lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.
^19 (AG)The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
    by understanding ^(AH)he established the heavens;
²⁰ by his knowledge ^(AI)the deeps broke open,
    and ^(AJ)the clouds drop down the dew.
²¹ My son, ^(AK)do not lose sight of these—
    keep sound wisdom and discretion,
²² and they will be ^(AL)life for your soul
    and ^(AM)adornment for your neck.
^23 (AN)Then you will walk on your way securely,
    ^(AO)and your foot will not stumble.
^24 (AP)If you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, ^(AQ)your sleep will be sweet.
^25 (AR)Do not be afraid of sudden terror
    or of ^(AS)the ruin^[d] of the wicked, when it comes,
²⁶ for the Lord will be your confidence
    and will ^(AT)keep your foot from being caught.
^27 (AU)Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,^[e]
    when it is in your power to do it.
^28 (AV)Do not say to your neighbour, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
^29 (AW)Do not plan evil against your neighbour,
    who ^(AX)dwells trustingly beside you.
^30 (AY)Do not contend with a man for no reason,
    when he has done you no harm.
^31 (AZ)Do not envy ^(BA)a man of violence
    and do not choose any of his ways,
³² for ^(BB)the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are ^(BC)in his confidence.
^33 (BD)The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he ^(BE)blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
³⁴ Towards the ^(BF)scorners he ^(BG)is scornful,
    ^(BH)but to the humble he gives favour.^[f]
35 The wise will inherit honour,
    but fools get^[g] disgrace.