Living Right Will Add to Your Life

3 My son, don’t forget my teaching. Remember the things I tell you to do. ²The things I teach you will give you a longer, happier, and more peaceful life. ³Never stop loving. Always be loyal and true. {Make these things a part of yourself}—tie them around your neck and write them on your heart. ⁴Then you will be wise and pleasing to God and people!

Trust the Lord

⁵Trust the Lord completely! Don’t depend on your own knowledge. ⁶Think about God in all that you do. Then he will help you. ⁷Don’t depend on your own wisdom. But respect the Lord and stay away from evil. ⁸If you do this, then it will be like medicine for your body or a refreshing drink that makes you strong again.

Give to the Lord

⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth. Give him the best you have. ¹⁰Then you will have all you need. Your barns will be full of grain and your barrels will be flowing over with wine.

Accept the Lord’s Punishment

¹¹My son, sometimes the Lord will show you that you are doing wrong. But don’t be angry about this punishment. Try to learn from it. ¹²Why? Because the Lord corrects the people he loves. Yes, God is like a father {that punishes} the son he loves.

The Blessings of Wisdom

¹³The person who finds wisdom will be very happy. That person will be blessed when he begins to understand. ¹⁴The profit that comes from wisdom is better than silver. The profit from wisdom is better than fine gold! ¹⁵Wisdom is worth much more than jewels. Nothing you can want is as valuable as wisdom! ¹⁶Wisdom gives you long life, riches, and honor. ¹⁷People with wisdom live peaceful, happy lives. ¹⁸Wisdom is like the Tree of Life.* It gives full life to people that accept it. People that keep wisdom will be truly happy! ¹⁹The Lord used wisdom and understanding to make the earth and the skies. ²⁰The Lord used his knowledge to make the oceans and the clouds that produce rain. ²¹My son, don’t ever let wisdom out of your sight! Guard your ability to think and plan wisely. ²²Wisdom and understanding will give you life and make it more beautiful. ²³Then you will live safely and you will not fall. ²⁴When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you rest, your sleep will be peaceful. ^25–26Don’t be afraid of some sudden disaster, the Lord will give you strength. And don’t be afraid of what evil people can do to you.* The Lord will protect you and keep you from being trapped.

The Wisdom of Living Right

²⁷Whenever you can, do good things for people who need help. ²⁸If your neighbor asks you for something and you have it, then give it to him right then! Don’t tell him, “Come back tomorrow and get it.” ²⁹Don’t make plans to hurt your neighbor. You live near each other for your own safety! ³⁰Don’t take another person to court without a good reason. Don’t do that if he hasn’t done anything wrong to you. ³¹Some people are easily angered and quickly do bad things. Don’t be like that. ³²Why? Because the Lord hates evil people and he supports good, honest people. ³³The Lord is against the families of evil people. But he blesses the homes of people who live right. ³⁴If a person is proud and makes fun of other people, the Lord will punish him and make fun of him. But the Lord is kind to humble people. ³⁵Wise people live a life that brings honor. Foolish people live a life that brings shame.

Tree of Life The tree whose fruit gives people the power to live forever. See Gen. 3:22 and Rev. 22:1–2. And don’t … do to you Or, “And don’t be afraid of the destruction that comes to evil people.”

The Importance of Wisdom

4 Sons, listen to your father’s teachings. Pay attention so you will understand! ²Why? Because the things I teach you are important and good. So don’t ever forget my teachings. ³I was young once too! I was my daddy’s little boy and my mother’s only son. ⁴And my father taught me these things. He said to me, “Remember the things I say. Obey my commands and you will live. ⁵Get wisdom and understanding! Don’t forget my words. Always follow my teachings. ⁶Don’t turn away from wisdom. Then wisdom will protect you. Love wisdom, and wisdom will keep you safe.” ⁷Wisdom begins when you decide to get wisdom. So use everything you own to get wisdom! {Then you will become wise.} ⁸Love wisdom, and wisdom will make you great. Make wisdom most important, and wisdom will bring you honor. ⁹She (Wisdom) is the greatest thing that can happen to you. ¹⁰Son, listen to me. Do the things I say, and you will live long. ¹¹I am teaching you about wisdom. I am leading you along the straight path. ¹²Follow this path, and your feet won’t be caught {in any trap}. You can run and not stumble. {You will be safe in the things you try to do.} ¹³Always remember these lessons. Don’t forget these lessons. They are your life! ¹⁴Don’t follow the path evil people walk on. {Don’t live like that.} Don’t try to be like them. ¹⁵Stay away from evil. Don’t go near it. Walk straight past it. ¹⁶Bad people can’t sleep until they do something wrong. Those people can’t sleep until they hurt some other person. ¹⁷Those people can’t live without doing evil and hurting other people. ¹⁸Good people are like the early morning light. The sun rises and the day becomes brighter and happier. ¹⁹But bad people are like a dark night. They are lost in the darkness and they fall over things they can’t see. ²⁰My son, pay attention to the things I say. Listen closely to my words. ²¹Don’t let my words leave you. Remember the things I say. ²²Myteaching will give life to people who listen. My words are like good health to the body. ²³The most important thing is for you to be careful in the things you think. Your thoughts control your life. ²⁴Don’t bend the truth and say things that are not right. Don’t tell lies. ²⁵Don’t let yourself turn away from the good and wise goals that are before you. ²⁶Be very careful what you do. Live a good life. ²⁷Don’t leave the straight path—the way that is good and right. But always turn away from evil.