Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Never boast about tomorrow. You don't know what will happen between now and then.
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Don't boast about tomorrow; For you don't know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let other people praise you - even strangers; never do it yourself.
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Let another man praise you, And not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 The weight of stone and sand is nothing compared to the trouble that stupidity can cause.
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A stone is heavy, And sand is a burden; But a fool's provocation is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel and destructive, but it is nothing compared to jealousy.
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Wrath is cruel, And anger is overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better to correct someone openly than to let him think you don't care for him at all.
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Better is open rebuke Than hidden love.
6 Friends mean well, even when they hurt you. But when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder - watch out!
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Faithful are the wounds of a friend; Although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 When you are full, you will refuse honey, but when you are hungry, even bitter food tastes sweet.
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A full soul loathes a honeycomb; But to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Anyone away from home is like a bird away from its nest.
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As a bird that wanders from her nest, So is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Perfume and fragrant oils make you feel happier, but trouble shatters your peace of mind.
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Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; So does earnest counsel from a man's friend.
10 Do not forget your friends or your father's friends. If you are in trouble, don't ask a relative for help; a nearby neighbor can help you more than relatives who are far away.
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Don't forsake your friend and your father's friend. Don't go to your brother's house in the day of your disaster: Better is a neighbor who is near than a distant brother.
11 Be wise, my child, and I will be happy; I will have an answer for anyone who criticizes me.
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Be wise, my son, And bring joy to my heart, Then I can answer my tormentor.
12 Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.
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A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it:
13 Any people stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts deserve to have their own property held to guarantee payment.
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Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger; Hold it for a wayward woman!
14 You might as well curse your friends as wake them up early in the morning with a loud greeting.
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He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, It will be taken as a curse by him.
15 A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip on a rainy day.
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A continual dropping on a rainy day And a contentious wife are alike:
16 How can you keep her quiet? Have you ever tried to stop the wind or ever tried to hold a handful of oil?
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Restraining her is like restraining the wind, Or like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.
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Iron sharpens iron; So a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
18 Take care of a fig tree and you will have figs to eat. Servants who take care of their master will be honored.
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Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
19 It is your own face that you see reflected in the water and it is your own self that you see in your heart.
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As water reflects a face, So a man's heart reflects the man.
20 Human desires are like the world of the dead - there is always room for more.
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Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; And a man's eyes are never satisfied.
21 Fire tests gold and silver; a person's reputation can also be tested.
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The crucible is for silver, And the furnace for gold; But man is refined by his praise.
22 Even if you beat fools half to death, you still can't beat their foolishness out of them.
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Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, Yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Look after your sheep and cattle as carefully as you can,
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Know well the state of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds:
24 because wealth is not permanent. Not even nations last forever.
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For riches are not forever, Nor does even the crown endure to all generations.
25 You cut the hay and then cut the grass on the hillsides while the next crop of hay is growing.
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The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, The grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 You can make clothes from the wool of your sheep and buy land with the money you get from selling some of your goats.
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The lambs are for your clothing, And the goats are the price of a field.
27 The rest of the goats will provide milk for you and your family, and for your servant women as well.
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There will be plenty of goats' milk for your food, For your family's food, And for the nourishment of your servant girls.