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In All Your Ways Acknowledge Him

My son, do not forget my teaching,[a]
but let your heart keep my mitzvot.
For length of days and years of life,
and shalom they will add to you.

Let kindness and truth never leave you—
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will gain favor and a good name
in the eyes of God and man.
Trust in Adonai with all your heart,
lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear Adonai and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your body
and refreshment to your bones.

Honor Adonai with your wealth
and with the first of your entire harvest.
10 Then your barns will be filled with plenty,
your vats will overflow with new wine.

Discipline as the Father’s Love

11 My son, never despise Adonai’s discipline
or dread His correction.
12 For Adonai loves those He reproves,
even as a father, the son in whom he delights.[b]

Precious Pearls, A Tree of Life

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom
and the man who gains understanding.
14 For her trade-value is better than silver,
and her yield better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels
and nothing you desire compares to her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand.
In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all of her paths are shalom.
18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her,
and blessed will be all who hold firmly to her.

19 By wisdom Adonai founded the earth.
By understanding He established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the deeps were divided,
and the clouds drip dew.

21 My son, hold on to sound wisdom and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight.
22 They will be life to your soul,
and an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden terror,
or of the devastation of the wicked when it comes.
26 For Adonai will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from a snare.

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back later—I’ll give it tomorrow,”
when you have it with you.
29 Do not plot evil against your neighbor
while he lives trustfully beside you.
30 Do not quarrel with a man for no reason
—if he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent man
or choose any of his ways.
32 For the devious are detestable to Adonai,
but He takes the upright into His confidence.
33 Adonai’s curse is on a wicked house,
but He blesses a righteous home.
34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers,
He gives grace to the humble.[c]
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools are held up in disgrace.

בְּ֭נִי תּוֹרָתִ֣י אַל־תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח וּ֝מִצְוֺתַ֗י יִצֹּ֥ר לִבֶּֽךָ׃

כִּ֤י אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים וּשְׁנ֣וֹת חַיִּ֑ים וְ֝שָׁל֗וֹם יוֹסִ֥יפוּ לָֽךְ׃

חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֗ת אַֽל־יַעַ֫זְבֻ֥ךָ קָשְׁרֵ֥ם עַל־גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ כָּ֝תְבֵ֗ם עַל־ל֥וּחַ לִבֶּֽךָ׃

וּמְצָא־חֵ֖ן וְשֵֽׂכֶל־ט֑וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֖י אֱלֹהִ֣ים וְאָדָֽם׃ פ

בְּטַ֣ח אֶל־יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְאֶל־בִּֽ֝ינָתְךָ֗ אַל־תִּשָּׁעֵֽן׃

בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶ֥יךָ דָעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝ה֗וּא יְיַשֵּׁ֥ר אֹֽרְחֹתֶֽיךָ׃

אַל־תְּהִ֣י חָכָ֣ם בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ יְרָ֥א אֶת־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וְס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃

רִ֭פְאוּת תְּהִ֣י לְשָׁרֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝שִׁקּ֗וּי לְעַצְמוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

כַּבֵּ֣ד אֶת־יְ֭הוָה מֵהוֹנֶ֑ךָ וּ֝מֵרֵאשִׁ֗ית כָּל־תְּבוּאָתֶֽךָ׃

10 וְיִמָּלְא֣וּ אֲסָמֶ֣יךָ שָׂבָ֑ע וְ֝תִיר֗וֹשׁ יְקָבֶ֥יךָ יִפְרֹֽצוּ׃ פ

11 מוּסַ֣ר יְ֭הוָה בְּנִ֣י אַל־תִּמְאָ֑ס וְאַל־תָּ֝קֹ֗ץ בְּתוֹכַחְתּֽוֹ׃

12 כִּ֤י אֶ֥ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶאֱהַ֣ב יְהוָ֣ה יוֹכִ֑יחַ וּ֝כְאָ֗ב אֶת־בֵּ֥ן יִרְצֶֽה׃

13 אַשְׁרֵ֣י אָ֭דָם מָצָ֣א חָכְמָ֑ה וְ֝אָדָ֗ם יָפִ֥יק תְּבוּנָֽה׃

14 כִּ֤י ט֣וֹב סַ֭חְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־כָּ֑סֶף וּ֝מֵחָר֗וּץ תְּבוּאָתָֽהּ׃

15 יְקָ֣רָה הִ֭יא ׳מִפְּנִיִּים׳ ״מִפְּנִינִ֑ים״ וְכָל־חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־בָֽהּ׃

16 אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים בִּֽימִינָ֑הּ בִּ֝שְׂמֹאולָ֗הּ עֹ֣שֶׁר וְכָבֽוֹד׃

17 דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכָל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֽוֹם׃

18 עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃ פ

19 יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּחָכְמָ֥ה יָֽסַד־אָ֑רֶץ כּוֹנֵ֥ן שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם בִּתְבוּנָֽה׃

20 בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָֽל׃

21 בְּ֭נִי אַל־יָלֻ֣זוּ מֵעֵינֶ֑יךָ נְצֹ֥ר תֻּ֝שִׁיָּ֗ה וּמְזִמָּֽה׃

22 וְיִֽהְי֣וּ חַיִּ֣ים לְנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְ֝חֵ֗ן לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃

23 אָ֤ז תֵּלֵ֣ךְ לָבֶ֣טַח דַּרְכֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝רַגְלְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תִגּֽוֹף׃

24 אִם־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ב לֹֽא־תִפְחָ֑ד וְ֝שָׁכַבְתָּ֗ וְֽעָרְבָ֥ה שְׁנָתֶֽךָ׃

25 אַל־תִּ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד פִּתְאֹ֑ם וּמִשֹּׁאַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים כִּ֣י תָבֹֽא׃

26 כִּֽי־יְ֭הוָה יִהְיֶ֣ה בְכִסְלֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁמַ֖ר רַגְלְךָ֣ מִלָּֽכֶד׃

27 אַל־תִּמְנַע־ט֥וֹב מִבְּעָלָ֑יו בִּהְי֨וֹת לְאֵ֖ל ׳יָדֶיךָ׳ ״יָדְךָ֣״ לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃

28 אַל־תֹּ֘אמַ֤ר ׳לְרֵעֶיךָ׳ ״לְרֵֽעֲךָ֨׀״ לֵ֣ךְ וָ֭שׁוּב וּמָחָ֥ר אֶתֵּ֗ן וְיֵ֣שׁ אִתָּֽךְ׃

29 אַל־תַּחֲרֹ֣שׁ עַל־רֵעֲךָ֣ רָעָ֑ה וְהֽוּא־יוֹשֵׁ֖ב לָבֶ֣טַח אִתָּֽךְ׃

30 ׳אַל־תָּרוֹב׳ ״אַל־תָּרִ֣יב״ עִם־אָדָ֣ם חִנָּ֑ם אִם־לֹ֖א גְמָלְךָ֣ רָעָֽה׃

31 אַל־תְּ֭קַנֵּא בְּאִ֣ישׁ חָמָ֑ס וְאַל־תִּ֝בְחַ֗ר בְּכָל־דְּרָכָֽיו׃

32 כִּ֤י תוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה נָל֑וֹז וְֽאֶת־יְשָׁרִ֥ים סוֹדֽוֹ׃

33 מְאֵרַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה בְּבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע וּנְוֵ֖ה צַדִּיקִ֣ים יְבָרֵֽךְ׃

34 אִם־לַלֵּצִ֥ים הֽוּא־יָלִ֑יץ ׳וְלַעֲנִיִּים׳ ״וְ֝לַעֲנָוִ֗ים״ יִתֶּן־חֵֽן׃

35 כָּ֭בוֹד חֲכָמִ֣ים יִנְחָ֑לוּ וּ֝כְסִילִ֗ים מֵרִ֥ים קָלֽוֹן׃ פ

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

My son,(A) do not forget my teaching,(B)
    but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years(C)
    and bring you peace and prosperity.(D)

Let love and faithfulness(E) never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(F)
Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man.(G)

Trust in the Lord(H) with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths(I) straight.[a](J)

Do not be wise in your own eyes;(K)
    fear the Lord(L) and shun evil.(M)
This will bring health to your body(N)
    and nourishment to your bones.(O)

Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits(P) of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled(Q) to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.(R)

11 My son,(S) do not despise the Lord’s discipline,(T)
    and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,(U)
    as a father the son he delights in.[b](V)

13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.(W)
15 She is more precious than rubies;(X)
    nothing you desire can compare with her.(Y)
16 Long life is in her right hand;(Z)
    in her left hand are riches and honor.(AA)
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
    and all her paths are peace.(AB)
18 She is a tree of life(AC) to those who take hold of her;
    those who hold her fast will be blessed.(AD)

19 By wisdom(AE) the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,(AF)
    by understanding he set the heavens(AG) in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
    and the clouds let drop the dew.

21 My son,(AH) do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,(AI)
    preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,(AJ)
    an ornament to grace your neck.(AK)
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,(AL)
    and your foot will not stumble.(AM)
24 When you lie down,(AN) you will not be afraid;(AO)
    when you lie down, your sleep(AP) will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side(AQ)
    and will keep your foot(AR) from being snared.(AS)

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
    “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
    when you already have it with you.(AT)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
    who lives trustfully near you.(AU)
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
    when they have done you no harm.

31 Do not envy(AV) the violent
    or choose any of their ways.

32 For the Lord detests the perverse(AW)
    but takes the upright into his confidence.(AX)
33 The Lord’s curse(AY) is on the house of the wicked,(AZ)
    but he blesses the home of the righteous.(BA)
34 He mocks(BB) proud mockers(BC)
    but shows favor to the humble(BD) and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
    but fools get only shame.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
  2. Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child