1 Do not make a noise about tomorrow, for you are not certain what a day's outcome may be.

2 Let another man give you praise, and not your mouth; one who is strange to you, and not your lips.

3 A stone has great weight, and sand is crushing; but the wrath of the foolish is of greater weight than these.

4 Wrath is cruel, and angry feeling an overflowing stream; but who does not give way before envy?

5 Better is open protest than love kept secret.

6 The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false.

7 The full man has no use for honey, but to the man in need of food every bitter thing is sweet.

8 Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.

9 Oil and perfume make glad the heart, and the wise suggestion of a friend is sweet to the soul.

10 Do not give up your friend and your father's friend; and do not go into your brother's house in the day of your trouble: better is a neighbour who is near than a brother far off.

11 My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so that I may give back an answer to him who puts me to shame.

12 The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.

13 Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.

14 He who gives a blessing to his friend with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning, will have it put to his account as a curse.

15 Like an unending dropping on a day of rain is a bitter-tongued woman.

16 He who keeps secret the secret of his friend, will get himself a name for good faith.

17 Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.

18 Whoever keeps a fig-tree will have its fruit; and the servant waiting on his master will be honoured.

19 Like face looking at face in water, so are the hearts of men to one another.

20 The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough.

21 The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, and a man is measured by what he is praised for.

22 Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.

23 Take care to have knowledge about the condition of your flocks, looking well after your herds;

24 For wealth is not for ever, and money does not go on for all generations.

25 The grass comes up and the young grass is seen, and the mountain plants are got in.

26 The lambs are for your clothing, and the he-goats make the value of a field:

27 There will be goats' milk enough for your food, and for the support of your servant-girls.

1 Boast not thyself of tomorrow;

For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;

A stranger, and not thine own lips.

3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty;

But a fool’s vexation is heavier than they both.

4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming;

But who is able to stand before jealousy?

5 Better is open rebuke

Than love that is hidden.

6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

7 The full soul loatheth a honeycomb;

But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest,

So is a man that wandereth from his place.

9 Oil and perfume rejoice the heart;

So doth the sweetness of a man’s friend that cometh of hearty counsel.

10 Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not;

And go not to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity:

Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,

That I may answer him that reproacheth me.

12 A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself;

But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger;

And hold him in pledge that is surety for a foreign woman.

14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,

It shall be counted a curse to him.

15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day

And a contentious woman are alike:

16 He that would restrain her restraineth the wind;

And his right hand encountereth oil.

17 Iron sharpeneth iron;

So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof;

And he that regardeth his master shall be honored.

19 As in water face answereth to face,

So the heart of man to man.

20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;

And the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold;

And a man is tried by his praise.

22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with bruised grain,

Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks,

And look well to thy herds:

24 For riches are not for ever;

And doth the crown endure unto all generations?

25 The hay is carried, and the tender grass showeth itself,

And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.

26 The lambs are for thy clothing,

And the goats are the price of the field;

27 And there will be goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household,

And maintenance for thy maidens.