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[1] My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
[2] For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.
[3] Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
[4] And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
[5] Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
[6] In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
[7] Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
[8] Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
[9] Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
[10] And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
[11] Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
[12] For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
[13] O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
[14] For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.
[15] Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.
[16] Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honour.
[17] Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.
[18] A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
[19] Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
[20] By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
[21] My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
[22] And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
[23] Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
[24] If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
[25] Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
[26] For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
[27] Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].
[28] Say not thou to thy friend, `Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
[29] Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
[30] Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
[31] Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
[32] For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
[33] The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
[34] If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
[35] Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
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