1 B oast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth.

Do not talk much about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day will bring.

2 L et another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth. Let a stranger, and not your own lips.

3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than them both.

A stone is heavy, and sand is heavy, but to be made angry by a fool weighs more than both of them.

4 F ury is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before jealousy?

Anger causes trouble and a bad temper is like a flood, but who can stand when there is jealousy?

5 O pen rebuke is better than hidden love.

Sharp words spoken in the open are better than love that is hidden.

6 F aithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

The pains given by a friend are faithful, but the kisses of one who hates you are false.

7 T he full soul trampleth on a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

He who is full hates honey, but any bitter thing is sweet to a hungry man.

8 A s a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

Like a bird that goes away from her nest, so is a man who goes away from his home.

9 O intment and perfume rejoice the heart; and the sweetness of one's friend is of hearty counsel.

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so are a man’s words sweet to his friend.

10 T hine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

Do not leave your own friend or your father’s friend alone, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your trouble. A neighbor who is near is better than a brother who is far away.

11 B e wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me.

Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, so I may answer him who puts me to shame.

12 A prudent seeth the evil, hideth himself; the simple pass on, are punished.

A wise man sees sin and hides himself, but the fool goes on and suffers for it.

13 T ake his garment that is become surety another, and hold him in pledge for a strange woman.

Take the man’s coat who has given himself as trust for what a stranger owes. And hold him to his promise who has given it as trust for a sinful woman.

14 H e that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be reckoned a curse to him.

He who praises his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning will be thought of as saying bad things against him.

15 A continual dropping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike:

An arguing woman is like water falling drop by drop on a day it is raining.

16 w hosoever will restrain her restraineth the wind, and his right hand encountereth oil.

To try to stop her is like trying to stop the wind, or like trying to catch oil in his right hand.

17 I ron is sharpened by iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Iron is made sharp with iron, and one man is made sharp by a friend.

18 W hoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that guardeth his master shall be honoured.

He who cares for the fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who cares for the one he works for will be honored.

19 A s water face to face, so the heart of man to man.

As water acts as a mirror to a face, so the heart of man acts as a mirror to a man.

20 S heol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

The place of the dead is never filled, and the eyes of man are never filled.

21 T he fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.

The melting-pot is for silver and the fire for gold, and a man is tested by the praise he receives.

22 I f thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his folly depart from him.

Even if you crush a fool in a pot used for crushing grain, his foolish way will not leave him.

23 B e well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds:

Know well how your flocks are doing, and keep your mind on your cattle.

24 f or wealth is not for ever; and doth the crown from generation to generation?

Riches do not last forever, and a crown does not pass from family to family.

25 T he hay is removed, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered in.

When the grass is gone, the new plants are seen, and the plants of the mountains are gathered in.

26 T he lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of a field;

The lambs will be for your clothes, and the goats will bring the price of a field.

27 a nd there is goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and sustenance for thy maidens.

There will be enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of all your house, and a living for your young women.