1 ¶ Boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

2 ¶ Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

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

3 ¶ A stone is heavy and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.

A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

4 W rath is cruel, and anger is impetuous, but who is able to stand before envy?

Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

5 ¶ Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.

6 F aithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7 ¶ The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8 ¶ As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man that wanders from his place.

Like a bird that wanders from its nest Is a man who wanders from his place.

9 ¶ Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so does the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.

Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

10 D o not forsake thine own friend and thy father’s friend, neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity, for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

11 ¶ My son, be wise and make my heart glad that I may answer him that reproaches me.

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him who reproaches me.

12 ¶ A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are hurt by it.

A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.

13 ¶ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger and take a pledge of him that is surety for a strange woman.

Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

14 ¶ He that blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him.

15 ¶ A continual dripping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike;

16 W hosoever hides her hides the wind, because the oil in his right hand cries out.

Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.

17 ¶ Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18 ¶ Whosoever keeps the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof, so he that waits on his master shall be honoured.

Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored.

19 ¶ As in water face corresponds to face, so the heart of man to man.

As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.

20 ¶ Sheol and hell are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 ¶ As the fining pot tries the silver and the furnace the gold; so the man is tried by the mouth of whoever praises him.

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him.

22 ¶ Though thou should bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23 ¶ Be thou diligent to know the countenance of thy sheep, and put thy heart into thy herds.

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;

24 F or riches are not for ever, and does the crown endure to every generation?

For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25 T he tender grass shows itself, and the hay appears, and the herbs of the mountains are reaped.

When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

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

The lambs will provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field;

27 A nd thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance of thy maidens.

You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, For the food of your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants.