Don't Brag about Tomorrow
1 Don't brag about tomorrow!
Each day brings
its own surprises.
2Don't brag about yourself—
let others praise you.
3Stones and sand are heavy,
but trouble caused by a fool
is a much heavier load.
4An angry person is dangerous,
but a jealous person
is even worse.
5A truly good friend
will openly correct you.
6You can trust a friend
who corrects you,
but kisses from an enemy
are nothing but lies.
7If you have had enough to eat,
honey doesn't taste good,
but if you are really hungry,
you will eat anything.
8When you are far from home,
you feel like a bird
without a nest.
9The sweet smell of incense
can make you feel good,
but true friendship
is better still.
10Don't desert an old friend
of your family
or visit your relatives
when you are in trouble.
A friend nearby is better
than relatives far away.
11My child, show good sense!
Then I will be happy
and able to answer anyone
who criticizes me.
12Be cautious and hide
when you see danger—
don't be stupid and walk
right into trouble.
13You deserve to lose your coat
if you loan it to someone
to guarantee payment
for the debt of a stranger.
14A loud greeting
early in the morning
is the same as a curse.
15The steady dripping of rain
and the nagging of a wife
are one and the same.
16It's easier to catch the wind
or hold olive oil in your hand
than to stop a nagging wife.
17Just as iron sharpens iron,
friends sharpen the minds
of each other.
18Take care of a tree,
and you will eat its fruit;
look after your master,
and you will be praised.
19You see your face in a mirror
and your thoughts
in the minds of others.
20Death and the grave
are never satisfied,
and neither are humans.
21Gold and silver are tested
in a red-hot furnace,
but we are tested by praise.
22No matter how hard
you beat a fool,
you can't pound out
the foolishness.
23You should take good care
of your sheep and goats,
24because wealth and honor
don't last forever.
25After the hay is cut
and the new growth appears
and the harvest is over,
26you can sell lambs and goats
to buy clothes and land.
27From the milk of the goats,
you can make enough cheese
to feed your family
and all your servants.