1 M y son, do not forget my teaching, But let your 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 years of life And peace they will add to you.

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

3 D o not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your 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 you will find favor and good repute 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 your heart And do not lean on your 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 your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

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

7 D o not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

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

8 I t will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones.

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

9 H onor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce;

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

10 S o your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow 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, do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His reproof,

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 loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

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

13 H ow blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding.

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

14 F or her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better 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 jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her.

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

16 L ong life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.

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

17 H er ways are pleasant ways 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 those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.

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 founded the earth, By understanding 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 deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew.

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

21 M y son, let them not vanish from your sight; 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 they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck.

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

23 T hen you will walk in your way securely And your foot will 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 you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

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

25 D o not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;

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 will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.

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

27 D o not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power 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 D o not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.

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

29 D o not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you.

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

30 D o not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

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

31 D o not envy a man of violence And do not choose any 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 devious are an abomination to the Lord; But He is intimate with the upright.

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 on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

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 T hough He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

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 will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor.

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