1Ros dig ikke af Dagen i Morgen, du ved jo ikke, hvad Dag kan bringe.
1Boast not thyself of to-morrow, For thou knowest not what a day bringeth forth.
2Lad en anden rose dig, ikke din Mund, en fremmed, ikke dine egne Læber.
2Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, A stranger, and not thine own lips.
3Sten er tung, og Sand vejer til, men tung fremfor begge er Dårers Galde.
3A stone [is] heavy, and the sand [is] heavy, And the anger of a fool Is heavier than they both.
4Vrede er grum, og Harme skummer, men Skinsyge, hvo kan stå for den?
4Fury [is] fierce, and anger [is] overflowing, And who standeth before jealousy?
5Hellere åbenlys Revselse end Kærlighed, der skjules.
5Better [is] open reproof than hidden love.
6Vennehånds Hug er ærligt mente, Avindsmands Kys er mange.
6Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.
7Den mætte vrager Honning, alt beskt er sødt for den sultne.
7A satiated soul treadeth down a honeycomb, And [to] a hungry soul every bitter thing [is] sweet.
8Som Fugl, der må fly fra sin Rede, er Mand, der må fly fra sit Hjem:
8As a bird wandering from her nest, So [is] a man wandering from his place.
9Olie og Røgelse fryder Sindet, men Sjælen sønderslides af Kummer.
9Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, And the sweetness of one`s friend — from counsel of the soul.
10Slip ikke din Ven og din Faders Ven, gå ej til din Broders Hus på din Ulykkes Dag. Bedre er Nabo ved Hånden end Broder i det fjerne.
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.
11Vær viis, min Søn, og glæd mit Hjerte, at jeg kan svare den, der smæder mig.
11Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart. And I return my reproacher a word.
12Den kloge ser Faren og søger i Skjul, tankeløse går videre og bøder,
12The prudent hath seen the evil, he is hidden, The simple have passed on, they are punished.
13Tag hans Klæder, han borged for en anden, pant ham for fremmedes Skyld!
13Take his garment, when a stranger hath been surety, And for a strange woman pledge it.
14Den, som årle højlydt velsigner sin Næste, han får det regnet for Banden.
14Whoso is saluting his friend with a loud voice, In the morning rising early, A light thing it is reckoned to him.
15Ustandseligt Tagdryp en Regnvejrsdag og trættekær Kvinde ligner hinanden;
15A continual dropping in a day of rain, And a woman of contentions are alike,
16den, som vil skjule hende, skjuler Vind, og hans højre griber i Olie.
16Whoso is hiding her hath hidden the wind, And the ointment of his right hand calleth out.
17Jern skærpes med Jern, det ene Menneske skærper det andet.
17Iron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend.
18Røgter man et Figentræ, spiser man dets Frugt; den, der vogter sin Herre, æres.
18The keeper of a fig-tree eateth its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honoured.
19Som i Vandspejlet Ansigt møder Ansigt, slår Menneskehjerte Menneske i Møde.
19As [in] water the face [is] to face, So the heart of man to man.
20Dødsrige og Afgrund kan ikke mættes, ej heller kan Menneskens Øjne mættes.
20Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied.
21Digel til Sølv og Ovn til Guld, efter sit Ry bedømmes en Mand.
21A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.
22Om du knuste en Dåre i Morter med Støder midt imellem Gryn, hans Dårskab veg dog ej fra ham.
22If thou dost beat the foolish in a mortar, Among washed things — with a pestle, His folly turneth not aside from off him.
23Mærk dig, hvorledes dit Småkvæg ser ud, hav Omhu for dine Hjorde;
23Know well the face of thy flock, Set thy heart to the droves,
24thi Velstand varer ej evigt, Rigdom ikke fra Slægt til Slægt;
24For riches [are] not to the age, Nor a crown to generation and generation.
25er Sommergræsset svundet, Grønt spiret frem, og sankes Bjergenes Urter,
25Revealed was the hay, and seen the tender grass, And gathered the herbs of mountains.
26da har du Lam til at give dig Klæder og Bukke til at købe en Mark,
26Lambs [are] for thy clothing, And the price of the field [are] he-goats,
27Gedemælk til Mad for dig og dit Hus, til Livets Ophold for dine Piger.
27And a sufficiency of goats` milk [is] for thy bread, For bread to thy house, and life to thy damsels!