Proverbs 3

21st Century King James Version

3 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 tablet of thine heart.

⁴ So shalt thou find favor 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 flesh and marrow to thy bones.

⁹ Honor 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 merchandising of it is better than the merchandising 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 to her.

¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honor.

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 everyone 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 these depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion;

²² so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace around 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 snared.

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 neighbor, “Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give,” when thou hast it with thee.

²⁹ Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely beside thee.

³⁰ Strive not with a man without cause if he has done thee no harm.

³¹ Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways;

³² for the froward is an abomination to the Lord, but His secret is with the righteous.

³³ The curse of the Lord is on 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.