Chapter 3

  My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,  

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  For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.  

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  Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,  

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  And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.  

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  Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.  

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  In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.  

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  Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.  

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  Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.  

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  Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;  

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  And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.  

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  Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,  

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  For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.  

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  O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.  

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  For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.  

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  Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.  

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  Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honour.  

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  Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.  

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  A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.  

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  Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.  

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  By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.  

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  My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,  

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  And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.  

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  Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.  

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  If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.  

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  Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.  

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  For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.  

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  Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].  

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  Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.  

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  Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.  

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  Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.  

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  Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.  

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  For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.  

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  The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.  

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  If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.  

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  Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!  

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