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 wrath is heavier than them both. 4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is impetuous, but who is able to stand before envy? 5 Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 7 The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. 8 As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man that wanders from his place. 9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so does the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel. 10 Do not forsake thine own friend and thy father’s friend, neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity, for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off. 11 My son, be wise and make my heart glad that I may answer him that reproaches me. 12 A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are hurt by it. 13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger and take a pledge of him that is surety for a strange woman. 14 He that blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him. 15 A continual dripping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. 16 Whosoever hides her hides the wind, because the oil in his right hand cries out. 17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. 18 Whosoever keeps the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof, so he that waits on his master shall be honoured. 19 As in water face corresponds to face, so the heart of man to man. 20 Sheol and hell are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. 21 As the fining pot tries the silver and the furnace the gold; so the man is tried by the mouth of whoever praises him. 22 Though thou should bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the countenance of thy sheep, and put thy heart into thy herds. 24 For riches are not for ever, and does the crown endure to every generation? 25 The tender grass shows itself, and the hay appears, and the herbs of the mountains are reaped. 26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are for the price of the field. 27 And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance of thy maidens.