Solomonic proverbs
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool's provocation is heavier than both. Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet. Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home. Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you — better a neighbour nearby than a relative far away. Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt. The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider. If anyone loudly blesses their neighbour early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse. A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever looks after their master will be honoured. As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart. Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes. The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise. Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them. Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool's provocation is heavier than both.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.
Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you — better a neighbour nearby than a relative far away.
Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; 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.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
If anyone loudly blesses their neighbour early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.
Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever looks after their master will be honoured.
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart.
As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.
And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.