1My son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:

2for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:

4so shalt thou find favour: ¹⁰and do thou ¹¹provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.

5Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.

6In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly ¹²direct thy paths.

7Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.

8Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.

9Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:

10that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.

11My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

12for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.

13Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.

14For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.

15And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.

16For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory:

16out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.

17Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.

18She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is a secure help to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.

19God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.

20By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.

21My son, let them not ¹³pass from thee, but keep my counsel and understanding:

22that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck;

22and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:

23that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.

24For if thou ¹⁴rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.

25And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.

26For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.

27Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have power to help him.

28Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do him good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.

29Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.

30Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.

31Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.

32For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.

33The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.

34¹⁵The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.

35The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted their own dishonour.