1. |
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, |
2. |
For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee. |
3. |
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart, |
4. |
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man. |
5. |
Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not. |
6. |
In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths. |
7. |
Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil. |
8. |
Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones. |
9. |
Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase; |
10. |
And filled are thy barns `with' plenty, And `with' new wine thy presses break forth. |
11. |
Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof, |
12. |
For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with. |
13. |
O the happiness of a man `who' hath found wisdom, And of a man `who' bringeth forth understanding. |
14. |
For better `is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase. |
15. |
Precious she `is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her. |
16. |
Length of days `is' in her right hand, In her left `are' wealth and honour. |
17. |
Her ways `are' ways of pleasantness, And all her paths `are' peace. |
18. |
A tree of life she `is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her `is' happy. |
19. |
Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding. |
20. |
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew. |
21. |
My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness, |
22. |
And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck. |
23. |
Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble. |
24. |
If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep. |
25. |
Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. |
26. |
For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture. |
27. |
Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand `is' toward God to do `it'. |
28. |
Say not thou to thy friend, `Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee. |
29. |
Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee. |
30. |
Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil. |
31. |
Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways. |
32. |
For an abomination to Jehovah `is' the perverted, And with the upright `is' His secret counsel. |
33. |
The curse of Jehovah `is' in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth. |
34. |
If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace. |
35. |
Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame! |