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[1]My son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:
[2]for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
[3]Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:
[4]so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
[5]Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.
[6]In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
[7]Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
[8]Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
[9]Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:
[10]that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
[11]My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
[12]for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
[13]Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
[14]For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
[15]And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
[16]For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
[17]Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
[18]She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is a secure help to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
[19]God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
[20]By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
[21]My son, let them not pass from thee, but keep my counsel and understanding:
[22]that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:
[23]that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.
[24]For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.
[25]And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
[26]For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
[27]Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have power to help him.
[28]Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do him good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.
[29]Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
[30]Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
[31]Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.
[32]For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
[33]The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
[34]The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
[35]The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted their own dishonour.
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