THE
PROVERBS
Proverbs 3 ©
An exhortation to the keeping of the commandments of wisdom, verse 1, etc. also to trust in God, and His counsel, with caution to beware of wisdom of self, 5, An exhortation to the fear of the Lord, 7. To liberality to the ministers of God and to the poor, 9, 27. To patience in suffering, 11. Of the blessedness that wisdom brings with it, the preciousness, high esteem and great utility of it, 13. Evil practices, 29. Contentiousness, 30. Impatience, 31. The cursed prosperity of the wicked, scorners, and fools, 33.
MY son, forget not my 1law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Fora2length of days, and long life, and 3peace, shall they 4add to thee.
5Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: 6bindb them 7about thy neck; 8write them upon the table of thine heart:
So shalt thou 9find 10favour and good 11understanding in the sight of God and man.
¶Trust in the LORD 12with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
13In all thy ways acknowledgec him, and he shall 14direct thy paths.
¶Bed not wise 15in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
It shall be health 16to thy navel, and 17marrow to thy bones.
Honoure18the LORD with thy substance, and with the 19firstfruits of all thine increase:
Sof shall thy barns be filled with 20plenty, and thy presses shall 21burst out with new wine.
¶Myg son, despise not 22the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his 23correction:
Forh whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he 24delighteth.
¶Happy is the man that 25findeth wisdom, and the man that 26getteth understanding.
Fori the 27merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than 28fine gold.
Shejis more precious than 29rubies: and 30all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
31Length of days 32is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Her 33ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are 34peace.
35She 36is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he 37established the heavens.
By his knowledge the 38depths are brokenk up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
¶My son, 39let not them depart from thine eyes: keep 40sound wisdom and 41discretion:
So 42shall they be life unto thy soul, and 43grace to thy neck.
Then shalt thou walk in 44thy way safely,l and 45thy foot shall not stumble.
Whenm thou 46liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
47Be not afraid 48of sudden fear, neither of the 49desolation 50of the wicked, when it cometh.
For the LORD 51shall be thy 52confidence, and shall keep thy foot 53from being taken.
¶ 54Withhold not 55good from 56them to whom it is due, 57when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow 58I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
59Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth 60securelyn by thee.
¶61Striveo not with a man without cause, 62if he have done thee no harm.
¶ 63Envy thou not the 64oppressor, and choose 65none of his ways.
For the 66froward 67is abomination to the LORD: but hisp68secret is with the righteous.
¶Theq curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
69Surely he scorneth ther scorners: but he giveth grace unto the 70lowly.
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame 71shall be the promotion of fools.