1 B oast not thyself of to-morrow, For thou knowest not what a day bringeth forth.

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

2 L et another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, A stranger, and not thine own lips.

Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.

3 A stone heavy, and the sand heavy, And the anger of a fool Is heavier than they both.

A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

4 F ury fierce, and anger overflowing, And who standeth before jealousy?

Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

5 B etter open reproof than hidden love.

Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.

6 F aithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7 A satiated soul treadeth down a honeycomb, And a hungry soul every bitter thing sweet.

A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8 A s a bird wandering from her nest, So a man wandering from his place.

Like a bird that wanders from its nest Is a man who wanders from his place.

9 O intment and perfume rejoice the heart, And the sweetness of one's friend -- from counsel of the soul.

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

10 T hine own friend, and the friend of thy father, forsake not, And the house of thy brother enter not In a day of thy calamity, Better a near neighbour than a brother afar off.

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 rejoice my heart. And I return my reproacher a word.

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

12 T he prudent hath seen the evil, he is hidden, The simple have passed on, they are punished.

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

13 T ake his garment, when a stranger hath been surety, And for a strange woman pledge it.

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

14 W hoso is saluting his friend with a loud voice, In the morning rising early, A light thing it is reckoned to 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 continual dropping in a day of rain, And a woman of contentions are alike,

A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike;

16 W hoso is hiding her hath hidden the wind, And the ointment of his right hand calleth out.

Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.

17 I ron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend.

As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18 T he keeper of a fig-tree eateth its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honoured.

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

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

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

20 S heol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied.

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

21 A refining pot for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.

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

22 I f thou dost beat the foolish in a mortar, Among washed things -- with a pestle, His folly turneth not aside from off 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 the face of thy flock, Set thy heart to the droves,

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;

24 F or riches not to the age, Nor a crown to generation and generation.

For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25 R evealed was the hay, and seen the tender grass, And gathered the herbs of mountains.

When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

26 L ambs for thy clothing, And the price of the field he-goats,

The lambs will provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field;

27 A nd a sufficiency of goats' milk for thy bread, For bread to thy house, and life to thy damsels!

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