3  ^yMy son, do not forget my teaching,

^zbut let your heart keep my commandments,

2  for ^alength of days and years of life

and ^bpeace they will add to you.

3  Let not ^csteadfast love and ^dfaithfulness forsake you;

^ebind them around your neck;

^fwrite them on the tablet of your heart.

4  So you will ^gfind favor and ^hgood success¹

in the sight of God and man.

5  ⁱTrust in the Lord with all your heart,

and ^jdo not lean on your own understanding.

6  In all your ways ^kacknowledge him,

and he ^lwill make straight your paths.

7  ^mBe not wise in your own eyes;

ⁿfear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

8  It will be ^ohealing to your flesh²

and ^prefreshment³ to your bones.

9  Honor the Lord with your wealth

and with ^qthe firstfruits of all your produce;

10  then your ^rbarns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11  ^sMy son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline

or be weary of his reproof,

12  for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,

as ^ta father the son in whom he delights.

13  ^uBlessed is the one who finds wisdom,

and the one who gets understanding,

14  ^vfor the gain from her is better than gain from silver

and her profit better than ^wgold.

15  She is more precious than ^xjewels,

and ^ynothing you desire can compare with her.

16  ^zLong life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are ^ariches and honor.

17  Her ^bways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.

18  She is ^ca tree of life to those who ^dlay hold of her;

those who hold her fast are called blessed.

19  ^eThe Lord by wisdom founded the earth;

by understanding ^ehe established the heavens;

20  by his knowledge ^fthe deeps broke open,

and ^gthe clouds drop down the dew.

21  My son, ^hdo not lose sight of these—

keep sound wisdom and discretion,

22  and they will be ⁱlife for your soul

and ^jadornment for your neck.

23  ^kThen you will walk on your way securely,

^land your foot will not stumble.

24  ^mIf you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, ⁿyour sleep will be sweet.

25  ^oDo not be afraid of sudden terror

or of ^pthe ruin⁴ of the wicked, when it comes,

26  for the Lord will be your confidence

and will ^qkeep your foot from being caught.

27  ^rDo not withhold good from those to whom it is due,⁵

when it is in your power to do it.

28  ^sDo not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,

tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

29  ^tDo not plan evil against your neighbor,

who ^udwells trustingly beside you.

30  ^vDo not contend with a man for no reason,

when he has done you no harm.

31  ^wDo not envy ^xa man of violence

and do not choose any of his ways,

32  for ^ythe devious person is an abomination to the Lord,

but the upright are ^zin his confidence.

33  ^aThe Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he ^bblesses the dwelling of the righteous.

34  Toward the ^cscorners he ^dis scornful,

^ebut to the humble he gives favor.⁶

35  The wise will inherit honor,

but fools get⁷ disgrace.