Châm Ngôn 3

Keep my teaching

¹My son, do not let my teaching slip from your memory; \q hold my commands close in your heart, ²for they will lengthen your days, add years to your life, \q and bring you peace. ³Never let loyal love and faithfulness leave you: \q wear them like a necklace, \q and engrave them on your heart as on a tablet, ⁴So you will find favor and be well thought of, \q both by God and by people.

Trust God, not your own insight

⁵Trust the LORD with your whole heart, \q and do not rely on your own insight. ⁶Keep him in mind in everything you do, \q and he will clear a straight road ahead of you. ⁷Do not think of yourself as wise; \q fear the LORD and keep away from evil. ⁸It will be medicine for your body \q and fresh strength for your bones.^{a 9}Honor the LORD with what you own, \q with the first and best of everything your land produces; ¹⁰then there will be more than enough to fill your barns, \q and new wine will burst out of your vats.

The LORD’s discipline and the worth of wisdom

¹¹My son, do not brush aside the discipline of the LORD, \q or grow weary of his correction, ¹²for the LORD corrects the one he loves, \q as a father corrects the son who is his joy.^{b 13}How blessed is the person who has found wisdom, \q the one who has come by understanding, ¹⁴for what she earns you is worth more than silver, \q and her return is better than gold. ¹⁵She is worth more than red coral; \q nothing you long for comes close to her. ¹⁶She holds long life in her right hand, \q and wealth and honor in her left. ¹⁷Her ways are delightful, \q and every path she takes leads to peace. ¹⁸To those who take hold of her she is a tree of life; \q whoever keeps a firm grip on her is called blessed.

Wisdom in creation and among neighbors

¹⁹It was with wisdom that the LORD set the earth on its foundations, \q and with understanding that he fixed the heavens in place; ²⁰by his knowledge the deep waters broke open, \q and the clouds let the dew fall. ²¹My son, do not let these slip out of your sight; \q hold on to sound wisdom and foresight, ²²and they will be life to you \q and a lovely ornament around your neck. ²³Then your road will be safe to walk, \q and your foot will not strike against anything. ²⁴When you go to bed, you will have nothing to fear; \q you will lie down and sleep soundly. ²⁵You need not fear sudden terror, \q or the storm that falls on the wicked when it comes, ²⁶for the LORD will be the one you rely on, \q and he will keep your foot from the snare.^{c 27}When you have it in your power to do good to those who are owed it, \q do not hold it back. ²⁸Do not tell your neighbor, \q “Go away and come back; I will give it to you tomorrow,” \q when you have it with you now. ²⁹Do not plot harm against your neighbor, \q who lives beside you and trusts you. ³⁰Do not pick a fight for no reason \q with someone who has done you no wrong. ³¹Do not be jealous of the violent, \q and do not take up any of their ways, ³²for the devious are hateful to the LORD, \q but the upright are his close friends. ³³The house of the wicked lies under the curse of the LORD, \q but the home where the righteous live receives his blessing. ³⁴Mockers he meets with mockery, \q but to the humble he gives grace. ³⁵Honor is what the wise inherit, \q but fools are held up to disgrace.^d