Proverbs 3

DOUAI-RHEIMS	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.	1 My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.
2 For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.	2 For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace.
3 Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:	3 Let not mercy and truth abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart.
4 And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before God and men.	4 And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.
5 Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.	5 Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.
6 In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.	6 In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.
7 I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:	7 Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.
8 For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.	8 Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.
9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits :	9 Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,
10 And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.	10 and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.
11 My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:	11 My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him.
12 For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.	12 For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.
13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:	13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence.
14 The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:	14 Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.
15 She is more precious than all riches : and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.	15 She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.	16 Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory.
17 Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.	17 Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.	18 She is a tree of life to those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed.
19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.	19 The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.
20 By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew	20 By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.
21 My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:	21 My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.
22 And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.	22 And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.
23 Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:	23 Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.
24 If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.	24 When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.	25 Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.
26 For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.	26 For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.
27 Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.	27 Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.
28 Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and to morrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.	28 Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.
29 Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.	29 Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.
30 Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.	30 Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.
31 Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:	31 Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways.
32 For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.	32 For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.
33 Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.	33 Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.	34 He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.
35 The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.	35 The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.