1 M y son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

My son, forget not my law or teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;

2 F or length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

For length of days and years of a life and tranquility, these shall they add to you.

3 L et not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

Let not mercy and kindness and truth forsake you; bind them about your neck, write them upon the tablet of your heart.

4 S o shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

So shall you find favor, good understanding, and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

5 T rust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

6 I n all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

7 B e not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn away from evil.

8 I t shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

It shall be health to your nerves and sinews, and marrow and moistening to your bones.

9 H onour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency and with the firstfruits of all your income;

10 S o shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine.

11 M y son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:

My son, do not despise or shrink from the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of or impatient about or loathe or abhor His reproof,

12 F or whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

For whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

13 H appy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) is the man who finds skillful and godly Wisdom, and the man who gets understanding,

14 F or the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, and the profit of it better than fine gold.

15 S he is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Skillful and godly Wisdom is more precious than rubies; and nothing you can wish for is to be compared to her.

16 L ength of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 H er ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

Her ways are highways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

18 S he is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her; and happy (blessed, fortunate, to be envied) is everyone who holds her fast.

19 T he Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

The Lord by skillful and godly Wisdom has founded the earth; by understanding He has established the heavens.

20 B y his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

By His knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies distill the dew.

21 M y son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

My son, let them not escape from your sight, but keep sound and godly Wisdom and discretion,

22 S o shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

And they will be life to your inner self, and a gracious ornament to your neck (your outer self).

23 T hen shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

Then you will walk in your way securely and in confident trust, and you shall not dash your foot or stumble.

24 W hen thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

When you lie down, you shall not be afraid; yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.

25 B e not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

Be not afraid of sudden terror and panic, nor of the stormy blast or the storm and ruin of the wicked when it comes,

26 F or the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

For the Lord shall be your confidence, firm and strong, and shall keep your foot from being caught.

27 W ithhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

Withhold not good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

28 S ay not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and tomorrow I will give it—when you have it with you.

29 D evise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

Do not contrive or dig up or cultivate evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly and confidently beside you.

30 S trive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

Contend not with a man for no reason—when he has done you no wrong.

31 E nvy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

Do not resentfully envy and be jealous of an unscrupulous, grasping man, and choose none of his ways.

32 F or the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.

For the perverse are an abomination to the Lord; but His confidential communion and secret counsel are with the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him).

33 T he curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

The curse of the Lord is in and on the house of the wicked, but He declares blessed (joyful and favored with blessings) the home of the just and consistently righteous.

34 S urely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

Though He scoffs at the scoffers and scorns the scorners, yet He gives His undeserved favor to the low, the humble, and the afflicted.

35 T he wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

The wise shall inherit glory (all honor and good) but shame is the highest rank conferred on fools.