| Chapter 3 |
1 | My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
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2 | For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
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3 | Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
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4 | So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
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5 | Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
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6 | In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
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7 | Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
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8 | It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
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9 | Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
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10 | So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
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11 | My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
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12 | For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.
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13 | Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding.
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14 | For the merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
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15 | She [is] more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
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16 | Length of days [is] in her right hand; [and] in her left hand riches and honour.
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17 | Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, and all her paths [are] peace.
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18 | She [is] a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy [is every one] that retaineth her.
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19 | The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
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20 | By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
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21 | My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
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22 | So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
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23 | Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
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24 | When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
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25 | Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
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26 | For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
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27 | Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do [it].
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28 | Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
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29 | Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
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30 | Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
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31 | Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
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32 | For the froward [is] abomination to the LORD: but his secret [is] with the righteous.
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33 | The curse of the LORD [is] in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
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34 | Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
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35 | The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
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