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

Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know 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.

A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier 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 a torrent, 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 carefully concealed.

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 deceitful.

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

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

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

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

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.

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 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 foresees evil and hides himself; 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 him who is surety for a stranger, And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

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.

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

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

A continual dripping on a very rainy day 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 restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 E ven if you crush a fool in a pot used for crushing grain, his foolish way will not leave 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 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 attend 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, Nor 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 removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs 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.

The lambs will provide 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.

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