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

Do not boast of tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth.

2 L et another man praise you, and not your own mouth. Let 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 heavy, but to be made angry by a fool weighs more than both of them.

Stone is heavy and sand weighty, but a fool’s wrath is heavier and more intolerable 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?

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

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

Open rebuke is 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.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are lavish and deceitful.

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

He who is satiated loathes and treads underfoot a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

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

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

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

Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend’s counsel that comes from the heart.

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.

Your own friend and your father’s friend, forsake them not; neither go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far off.

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

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

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

A prudent man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.

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.

Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners.

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.

The flatterer who loudly praises and glorifies his neighbor, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted as cursing him.

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

A continual dripping on a day of violent showers and a contentious woman are alike;

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

Whoever attempts to restrain might as well try to stop the wind—his right hand encounters oil.

17 I ron is made sharp with iron, and one man is made sharp by a friend.

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

Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit; so he who patiently and faithfully guards and heeds his master shall 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.

As in water face answers to and reflects face, so the heart of man to man.

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

Sheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the place of destruction) are never satisfied; so the eyes of man is never satisfied.

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

As the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold, so let a man be in his trial of praise.

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

Even though like grain you should pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

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

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds;

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

For riches are not forever; does a crown endure to all generations?

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

When the hay is gone, the tender grass shows itself, and herbs of the mountain are gathered in,

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

The lambs will be for your clothing, and the goats 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.

And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and for the maintenance of your maids.