Sundry exhortations.

3:1 My son, don’t forget my teaching;
but let your heart keep my commandments:

3:2 for length of days, and years of life,
and peace, will they add to you.

3:3 Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.
Bind them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart.

3:4 So you will find favor,
and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

3:5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart,
and don’t lean on your own understanding.

3:6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

3:7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes.
Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.

Ephesians 2:2

3:8 It will be health to your body,
and nourishment to your bones.

3:9 Honor Yahweh with your substance,
with the first fruits of all your increase:

3:10 so your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will overflow with new wine.

3:11 My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline,
neither be weary of his reproof:

3:12 for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves;
even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

The gain of wisdom.

3:13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gets understanding.

3:14 For her good profit is better than getting silver,
and her return is better than fine gold.

3:15 She is more precious than rubies.
None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

3:16 Length of days is in her right hand.
In her left hand are riches and honor.

3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness.
All her paths are peace.

3:18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.
Happy is everyone who retains her.

3:19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth.
By understanding, he established the heavens.

3:20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up,
and the skies drop down the dew.

3:21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes.
Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

3:22 so they will be life to your soul,
and grace for your neck.

3:23 Then you shall walk in your way securely.
Your foot won’t stumble.

3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid.
Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

3:25 Don’t be afraid of sudden fear,
neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:

3:26 for Yahweh will be your confidence,
and will keep your foot from being taken.

Exhortation to beneficence, etc.

3:27 Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

3:28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again;
tomorrow I will give it to you,”
when you have it by you.

3:29 Don’t devise evil against your neighbor,
seeing he dwells securely by you.

3:30 Don’t strive with a man without cause,
if he has done you no harm.

3:31 Don’t envy the man of violence.
Choose none of his ways.

3:32 For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh,
but his friendship is with the upright.

The different state of the wicked and upright.

3:33 Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

3:34 Surely he mocks the mockers,
but he gives grace to the humble.

3:35 The wise will inherit glory,
but shame will be the promotion of fools.