सूक्ति ग्रन्थ 27

1Boast not for tomorrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.

2Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy own lips.

3A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.

4Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?

5Open rebuke is better than hidden love.

6Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.

7A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.

8As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that leaveth his place.

9Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.

10Thy own friend, and thy father’s friend forsake not: and go not into thy brother’s house in the day of thy affliction. Better is a neighbour that is near, than a brother afar off.

11Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.

12The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.

13Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.

14He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.

15Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.

16He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call in the oil of his right hand.

17Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

18He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.

19As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so-the hearts of men are laid open to the wise.

20Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied.

21As silver is tried in the fining-pot and gold in the furnace: so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth. The heart of the wicked seeketh after evils, but the righteous heart seeketh after knowledge.

22Though thou shouldst bray a fool in the mortar, as when a pestle striketh upon sodden barley, his folly would not be taken from him.

23Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:

24For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.

25The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.

26Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.

27Let the milk of the goats be enough for thy food, and for the necessities of thy house, and for maintenance for thy handmaids.

1[Ne glorieris in crastinum, ignorans quid superventura pariat dies.

2Laudet te alienus, et non os tuum; extraneus, et non labia tua.

3Grave est saxum, et onerosa arena, sed ira stulti utroque gravior.

4Ira non habet misericordiam nec erumpens furor, et impetum concitati ferre quis poterit?

5Melior est manifesta correptio quam amor absconditus.

6Meliora sunt vulnera diligentis quam fraudulenta oscula odientis.

7Anima saturata calcabit favum, et anima esuriens etiam amarum pro dulci sumet.

8Sicut avis transmigrans de nido suo, sic vir qui derelinquit locum suum.

9Unguento et variis odoribus delectatur cor, et bonis amici consiliis anima dulcoratur.]

10[Amicum tuum et amicum patris tui ne dimiseris, et domum fratris tui ne ingrediaris in die afflictionis tuæ. Melior est vicinus juxta quam frater procul.

11Stude sapientiæ, fili mi, et lætifica cor meum, ut possis exprobranti respondere sermonem.

12Astutus videns malum, absconditus est: parvuli transeuntes sustinuerunt dispendia.

13Tolle vestimentum ejus qui spopondit pro extraneo, et pro alienis aufer ei pignus.

14Qui benedicit proximo suo voce grandi, de nocte consurgens maledicenti similis erit.

15Tecta perstillantia in die frigoris et litigiosa mulier comparantur.

16Qui retinet eam quasi qui ventum teneat, et oleum dexteræ suæ vocabit.

17Ferrum ferro exacuitur, et homo exacuit faciem amici sui.

18Qui servat ficum comedet fructus ejus, et qui custos est domini sui glorificabitur.

19Quomodo in aquis resplendent vultus prospicientium, sic corda hominum manifesta sunt prudentibus.

20Infernus et perditio numquam implentur: similiter et oculi hominum insatiabiles.

21Quomodo probatur in conflatorio argentum et in fornace aurum, sic probatur homo ore laudantis. Cor iniqui inquirit mala, cor autem rectum inquirit scientiam.

22Si contuderis stultum in pila quasi ptisanas feriente desuper pilo, non auferetur ab eo stultitia ejus.]

23[Diligenter agnosce vultum pecoris tui, tuosque greges considera:

24non enim habebis jugiter potestatem, sed corona tribuetur in generationem et generationem.

25Aperta sunt prata, et apparuerunt herbæ virentes, et collecta sunt fœna de montibus.

26Agni ad vestimentum tuum, et hædi ad agri pretium.

27Sufficiat tibi lac caprarum in cibos tuos, et in necessaria domus tuæ, et ad victum ancillis tuis.]

1Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what the future day may bring.

2Let another praise you, and not your own mouth: an outsider, and not your own lips.

3A stone is weighty, and sand is burdensome; but the wrath of the foolish is heavier than both.

4Anger holds no mercy, nor does fury when it erupts. And who can bear the assault of one who has been provoked?

5An open rebuke is better than hidden love.

6The wounds of a loved one are better than the deceitful kisses of a hateful one.

7A sated soul will trample the honeycomb. And a hungry soul will accept even bitter in place of sweet.

8Just like a bird migrating from her nest, so also is a man who abandons his place.

9Ointment and various perfumes delight the heart. And the good advice of a friend is sweet to the soul.

10Do not dismiss your friend or your father’s friend. And do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your affliction. A close neighbor is better than a distant brother.

11My son, study wisdom, and rejoice my heart, so that you may be able to respond to the one who reproaches.

12The discerning man, seeing evil, hides himself. The little ones, continuing on, sustain losses.

13Take away the garment of him who has vouched for an outsider. And take a pledge from him on behalf of foreigners.

14Whoever blesses his neighbor with a grand voice, rising in the night, shall be like one who curses.

15A roof leaking on a cold day, and an argumentative woman, are comparable.

16He who would restrain her, he is like one who would grasp the wind, or who would gather together oil with his right hand.

17Iron sharpens iron, and a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18Whoever maintains the fig tree shall eat its fruit. And whoever is the keeper of his master shall be glorified.

19In the manner of faces looking into shining water, so are the hearts of men made manifest to the prudent.

20Hell and perdition are never filled; similarly the eyes of men are insatiable.

21In the manner of silver being tested in the refinery, and gold in the furnace, so also is a man tested by the mouth of one who praises. The heart of the iniquitous inquires after evils, but the heart of the righteous inquires after knowledge.

22Even if you were to crush the foolish with a mortar, as when a pestle strikes over pearled barley, his foolishness would not be taken from him.

23Be diligent to know the countenance of your cattle, and consider your own flocks,

24for you will not always hold this power. But a crown shall be awarded from generation to generation.

25The meadows are open, and the green plants have appeared, and the hay has been collected from the mountains.

26Lambs are for your clothing, and goats are for the price of a field.

27Let the milk of goats be sufficient for your food, and for the necessities of your household, and for the provisions of your handmaids.