Chapter 3

  My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,  

  For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.  

  Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,  

  And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.  

  Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.  

  In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.  

  Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.  

  Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.  

  Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;  

  And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.  

  Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,  

  For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.  

  O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.  

  For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.  

  Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.  

  Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honour.  

  Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.  

  A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.  

  Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.  

  By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.  

  My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,  

  And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.  

  Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.  

  If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.  

  Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.  

  For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.  

  Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].  

  Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.  

  Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.  

  Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.  

  Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.  

  For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.  

  The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.  

  If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.  

  Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!