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¹ Boast not thyself of to-morrow; 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 importunate.

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 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.¹⁰ Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity;

¹¹ My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that taunteth me.

¹² A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.

¹³ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien 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 hide her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand betrayeth itself.

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 waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

¹⁹ As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

²⁰ The nether-world and Destruction are never satiated; so the eyes of man are never satiated.

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 among groats, {P}

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 When the hay is mown, and the tender grass showeth itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in;²⁶ The lambs will be for thy clothing, and the goats the price for a field.²⁷ And there will be goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; and maintenance for thy maidens.