1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and years of 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 table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in theLordwith all thine heart, and lean not upon 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 theLord, and depart from evil:
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour theLordwith thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of theLord; neither be weary of his reproof:
12 For whom theLordloveth he reproveth; 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 merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right had; in her left hand are riches and honour.
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 every one that retaineth her.
19 TheLordby wisdom 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 not them depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion;
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, 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 theLordshall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
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 neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Envy thou not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the perverse is an abomination to theLord: but his secret is with the upright.
33 The curse of theLordis in the house of the wicked; but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
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.