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

Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.

2 L et another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your 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 the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.

A stone is heavy, and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4 W rath is fierce and anger is a flood, But who can stand before jealousy?

Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?

5 B etter is open rebuke Than love that is concealed.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

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

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

7 A sated man loathes honey, But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet.

A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.

8 L ike a bird that wanders from her nest, So is a man who wanders from his home.

As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.

9 O il and perfume make the heart glad, So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.

10 D o not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.

Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster: better is a neighbor who is near than a distant brother.

11 B e wise, my son, and make my heart glad, That I may reply to him who reproaches me.

Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.

12 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, The naive proceed and pay the penalty.

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

13 T ake his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger; And for an adulterous woman hold him in pledge.

Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!

14 H e who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, It will be reckoned a curse to him.

He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.

15 A constant dripping on a day of steady rain And a contentious woman are alike;

A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:

16 H e who would restrain her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.

restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.

17 I ron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.

Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.

18 H e who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit, And he who cares for his master will be honored.

Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.

19 A s in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man.

Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

20 S heol and Abaddon are never satisfied, Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.

21 T he crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold, And each is tested by the praise accorded him.

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.

22 T hough you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.

23 K now well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds;

Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds:

24 F or riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

for riches are not forever, nor does even the crown endure to all generations.

25 W hen the grass disappears, the new growth is seen, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.

26 T he lambs will be for your clothing, And the goats will bring the price of a field,

The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.

27 A nd there will be goats’ milk enough for your food, For the food of your household, And sustenance for your maidens.

There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.