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

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

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

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

5 S harp words spoken in the open are better than love that is hidden.

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

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

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

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

10 D o 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, so I may answer him who puts me to shame.

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

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

15 A n arguing woman is like water falling drop by drop on a day it is raining.

16 T o 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 made sharp with iron, and one man is made sharp by a friend.

18 H e 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 acts as a mirror to a face, so the heart of man acts as a mirror to a man.

20 T he place of the dead is never filled, and the eyes of man are never filled.

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

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

23 K now well how your flocks are doing, and keep your mind on your cattle.

24 R iches do not last forever, and a crown does not pass from family to family.

25 W hen the grass is gone, the new plants are seen, and the plants of the mountains are gathered in.

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

27 T here will be enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of all your house, and a living for your young women.