1: My son, forget not my teaching, and let thy heart observe my commandments;
2: for length of days, and years of life, and peace shall they add to thee.
3: Let not loving-kindness and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4: and thou shalt find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5: Confide in Jehovah with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own intelligence;
6: in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make plain thy paths.
7: Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:
8: it shall be health for thy navel, and moisture for thy bones.
9: Honour Jehovah with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase;
10: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
11: My son, despise not the instruction of Jehovah, neither be weary of his chastisement;
12: for whom Jehovah loveth he chasteneth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13: Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14: For the gain thereof is better than the gain of silver, and her revenue than fine gold.
15: She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not equal unto her.
16: Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand riches and honour.
17: Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18: She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is he that retaineth her.
19: Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.
20: By his knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
21: My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22: so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace unto thy neck.
23: Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, and thy foot shall not stumble;
24: when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, but thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25: Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it cometh;
26: for Jehovah shall be thy confidence, and he will keep thy foot from being taken.
27: Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
28: Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.
29: Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30: Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31: Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
32: For the perverse is an abomination to Jehovah; but his secret is with the upright.
33: The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked; but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
34: He indeed scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35: The wise shall inherit glory; but shame shall be the promotion of the foolish.