King James Bible

English Standard Version

1My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

1My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,

2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

2for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

3Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

4So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

7Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

8It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

9Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

10then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

11My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof,

12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

12for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

13Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,

14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

14for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.

15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

15She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

16Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

18She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.

19The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

19The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens;

20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

20by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

21My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion,

22So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

22and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.

23Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

23Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.

24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

24If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

25Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,

26For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

26for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

27Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

28Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

28Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

29Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

29Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.

30Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

30Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.

31Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

31Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,

32For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.

32for the devious person is an abomination to the LORD, but the upright are in his confidence.

33The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

33The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

34Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

34Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.

35The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

35The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.