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The Reward That Comes from Following Wisdom

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching. Let your heart keep my words. ² For they will add to you many days and years of life and peace. ³ Do not let kindness and truth leave you. Tie them around your neck. Write them upon your heart. ⁴ So you will find favor and good understanding in the eyes of God and man. ⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not trust in your own understanding. ⁶ Agree with Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from what is sinful. ⁸ It will be healing to your body and medicine to your bones. ⁹ Honor the Lord with your riches, and with the first of all you grow. ¹⁰ Then your store-houses will be filled with many good things and your barrels will flow over with new wine. ¹¹ My son, listen when the Lord punishes you. Do not give up when He tells you what you must do. ¹² The Lord punishes everyone He loves. He whips every son He receives.

¹³ Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding. ¹⁴ For it is better than getting silver and fine gold. ¹⁵ She is worth more than stones of great worth. Nothing you can wish for compares with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand. Riches and honor are in her left hand. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasing, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her. Happy are all who hold her near. ¹⁹ The Lord built the earth by wisdom. He built the heavens by understanding. ²⁰ By what He knows, the seas were broken up and water falls from the sky.

²¹ My son, do not allow them to leave your eyes. Keep perfect wisdom and careful thinking. ²² And they will be life to your soul and a chain of beauty to your neck. ²³ Then you will be safe as you walk on your way, and your foot will not trip. ²⁴ You will not be afraid when you lie down. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Do not be afraid of fear that comes all at once. And do not be afraid of the storm of the sinful when it comes. ²⁶ For the Lord will be your trust. He will keep your foot from being caught.

²⁷ Do not keep good from those who should have it, when it is in your power to do it. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and return tomorrow, and I will give it," when you have it with you. ²⁹ Do not plan for your neighbor to be hurt, while he trusts you enough to live beside you. ³⁰ Do not fight with a man for no reason, when he has done you no wrong. ³¹ Do not be jealous of a man who hurts others, and do not choose any of his ways. ³² For the bad man is hated by the Lord, but He is near to those who are right with Him. ³³ The punishment of the Lord is on the house of the sinful, but He makes good come to the house of those who are right with Him. ³⁴ God makes fun of those who make fun of the truth but gives loving-favor to those who have no pride. ³⁵ Honor will be given to the wise, but shame will be given to fools.