Do Not Boast about Tomorrow
1Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.
4Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
10Thine 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.
11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
17Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
20Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
22Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
25The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
27And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Do Not Boast about Tomorrow
(James 4:13–17)
1 Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
10 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 son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
12 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
19 As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds:
24 for riches are not forever, nor does even the crown endure to all generations.
25 The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
27 There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
Do Not Boast about Tomorrow
(James 4:13–17)
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger is like a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?
5 Better an open rebuke
than love that is concealed.
6 The wounds of a friend are faithful,
but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 The soul that is full loathes honey,
but to a hungry soul, any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest
is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Oil and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
10 Do not forsake your friend or your father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house
in the day of your calamity;
better a neighbor nearby
than a brother far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart,
so that I can answer him who taunts me.
12 The prudent see danger and take cover;
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
13 Take the garment of him who posts security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for a foreigner. a
14 If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted to him as a curse.
15 A constant dripping on a rainy day
and a contentious woman are alike—
16 restraining her is like holding back the wind
or grasping oil with one’s right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another. b
18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who looks after his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the true man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon c are never satisfied;
so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold,
but a man is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle,
yet his folly will not depart from him.
23 Be sure to know the state of your flocks,
and pay close attention to your herds;
24 for riches are not forever,
nor does a crown endure to every generation.
25 When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you—
food for your household
and nourishment for your maidservants.
Footnotes:
13 a Or a wayward woman
17 b Hebrew sharpens the face of another  or sharpens the countenance of a friend
20 c Or Death and Destruction
Do Not Boast about Tomorrow
1Boast not thyself of to-morrow, For thou knowest not what a day bringeth forth.
2Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, A stranger, and not thine own lips.
3A stone is heavy, and the sand is heavy, And the anger of a fool Is heavier than they both.
4Fury is fierce, and anger is overflowing, And who standeth before jealousy?
5Better is open reproof than hidden love.
6Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.
7A satiated soul treadeth down a honeycomb, And to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8As a bird wandering from her nest, So is a man wandering from his place.
9Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, And the sweetness of one's friend -- from counsel of the soul.
10Thine own friend, and the friend of thy father, forsake not, And the house of thy brother enter not In a day of thy calamity, Better is a near neighbour than a brother afar off.
11Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart. And I return my reproacher a word.
12The prudent hath seen the evil, he is hidden, The simple have passed on, they are punished.
13Take his garment, when a stranger hath been surety, And for a strange woman pledge it.
14Whoso is saluting his friend with a loud voice, In the morning rising early, A light thing it is reckoned to him.
15A continual dropping in a day of rain, And a woman of contentions are alike,
16Whoso is hiding her hath hidden the wind, And the ointment of his right hand calleth out.
17Iron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend.
18The keeper of a fig-tree eateth its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honoured.
19As in water the face is to face, So the heart of man to man.
20Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied.
21A refining pot is for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.
22If thou dost beat the foolish in a mortar, Among washed things -- with a pestle, His folly turneth not aside from off him.
23Know well the face of thy flock, Set thy heart to the droves,
24For riches are not to the age, Nor a crown to generation and generation.
25Revealed was the hay, and seen the tender grass, And gathered the herbs of mountains.
26Lambs are for thy clothing, And the price of the field are he-goats,
27And a sufficiency of goats' milk is for thy bread, For bread to thy house, and life to thy damsels!
