1 Do not boast about tomorrow,

*Luke 12:19,20;James 4:13,14for you do not know what a day may bring.

2 Let *2 Cor. 10:12,18;[ch. 25:27;2 Cor. 12:11]another praise you, and not your own mouth;

a stranger, and not your own lips.

3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,

but *[ch. 12:16;17:12]a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,

but who can stand before *ch. 6:34jealousy?

5 *[ch. 28:23]Better is open rebuke

than hidden love.

6 Faithful are *Ps. 141:5the wounds of a friend;

profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

7 One who is full loathes *[ch. 25:16]honey,

but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.

8 Like *ch. 26:2a bird that strays from its nest

is a man who strays from his home.

9 *[Ps. 23:5]Oil and perfume make the heart glad,

and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.*27:9 Or and so does the sweetness of a friend that comes from his earnest counsel

10 Do not forsake your friend and *See 1 Kgs. 12:6-8;2 Chr. 10:6-8your father’s friend,

and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.

*See ch. 17:17Better is a neighbor who is near

than a brother who is far away.

11 *ch. 6:6Be wise, *ch. 10:1;23:15,24my son, and *See ch. 29:3make my heart glad,

that I may *Ps. 119:42;[Ps. 127:5]answer him who reproaches me.

12 *ch. 22:3The prudent sees danger and hides himself,

but *See ch. 1:4the simple go on and suffer for it.

13 *See ch. 20:16Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,

and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.*27:13 Hebrew a foreign woman; a slight emendation yields (compare Vulgate; see also 20:16) foreigners

14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,

rising early in the morning,

will be counted as cursing.

15 *ch. 19:13A continual dripping on a rainy day

and a quarrelsome wife are alike;

16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind

or to grasp*27:16 Hebrew to meet with oil in one’s right hand.

17 Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.*27:17 Hebrew sharpens the face of another

18 *Song 8:12;1 Cor. 3:8;9:7;2 Tim. 2:6Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and he who *[Matt. 25:21]guards his master will be honored.

19 As in water face reflects face,

so the heart of man reflects the man.

20 *ch. 15:11;See Job 26:6Sheol and Abaddon are *ch. 30:15,16;Hab. 2:5;[ch. 1:12] never satisfied,

and *Eccles. 1:8;4:8never satisfied are the eyes of man.

21 *ch. 17:3The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

and a man is tested by his praise.

22 *[ch. 23:35;Isa. 1:5;Jer. 5:3]Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle

along with crushed grain,

yet his folly will not depart from him.

23 *[John 10:3,14;Acts 20:28;1 Pet. 5:2,4]Know well the condition of your flocks,

and *[John 10:3,14;Acts 20:28;1 Pet. 5:2,4]give attention to your herds,

24 for *ch. 23:5riches do not last forever;

and does a crown endure to all generations?

25 *Ps. 37:2;90:5,6When the grass is gone and the new growth appears

and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,

26 *[1 Tim. 6:8]the lambs will provide your clothing,

and the goats the price of a field.

27 *[See ver. 26above]There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,

for the food of your household

and maintenance for your girls.