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 man 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 sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath 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 cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

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

5 O pen rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

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

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

7 A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every 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 its nest Is a man who wanders from his place.

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

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

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, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby 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 M y son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him who reproaches me.

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

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

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

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

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, rising early in the morning, It will be counted 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 continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike;

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

16 W hoever restrains 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 A s iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

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

18 W hoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on 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 a man’s heart reveals the man.

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

20 H ell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

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

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

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

22 T hough you grind 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 B e diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend 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 hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, 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 provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field;

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

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

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