3
The Rewards of Wisdom
1 My son,
Ado not forget my
1teaching,
But let your heart
Bkeep my commandments;
2 For
Alength of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Do not let
Akindness and truth leave you;
BBind them around your neck,
CWrite them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will
Afind favor and
Bgood
1repute
In the sight of God and man.
5 ATrust in the Loʀᴅ with all your heart
And
Bdo not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways
Aacknowledge Him,
And He will
Bmake your paths straight.
7 ADo not be wise in your own eyes;
BFear the Loʀᴅ and turn away from evil.
8 It will be
Ahealing to your
1body
And
Brefreshment to your bones.
9 AHonor the Loʀᴅ from your wealth
And from the
Bfirst of all your produce;
10 So your
Abarns will be filled with plenty
And your
Bvats will overflow with new wine.
11 AMy son, do not reject the
1discipline of the Loʀᴅ
Or loathe His reproof,
12 For
Awhom the Loʀᴅ loves He reproves,
Even
Bas a father
corrects the son in whom he delights.
13 AHow blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.
14 For her
Aprofit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold.
15 She is
Amore precious than
1jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 1ALong life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are
Briches and honor.
17 Her
Aways are pleasant ways
And all her paths are
Bpeace.
18 She is a
Atree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who hold her fast.
19 The Loʀᴅ
Aby wisdom founded the earth,
By understanding He
Bestablished the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the
Adeeps were broken up
And the
Bskies drip with dew.
21 My son,
Alet them not
1vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be
Alife to your soul
And
Badornment to your neck.
23 Then you will
Awalk in your way securely
And your foot will not
Bstumble.
24 When you
Alie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 ADo not be afraid of sudden fear
Nor of the
1Bonslaught of the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Loʀᴅ will be
1your confidence
And will
Akeep your foot from being caught.
27 ADo not withhold good from
1those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
28 ADo not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.
29 ADo not devise harm against your neighbor,
While he lives securely beside you.
30 ADo not contend with a man without cause,
If he has done you no harm.
31 ADo not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the
Adevious are an abomination to the Loʀᴅ;
But
1He is
Bintimate with the upright.
33 The
Acurse of the Loʀᴅ is on the house of the wicked,
But He
Bblesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Though
AHe scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet
BHe gives grace to the afflicted.
35 AThe wise will inherit honor,
But fools
1display dishonor.