14  ^kWhoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,

rising early in the morning,

will be counted as cursing.

15  ^lA continual dripping on a rainy day

and a quarrelsome wife are alike;

16  to restrain her is to restrain the wind

or to grasp¹ oil in one’s right hand.

17  ^mIron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.²

18  ⁿWhoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and he who guards his master will be honored.

19  As in water face reflects face,

so the heart of man reflects the man.

20  Sheol and Abaddon are ^onever satisfied,

and ^pnever satisfied are the eyes of man.

21  ^qThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

and a man is tested by his praise.

22  Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle

along with crushed grain,

yet his folly will not depart from him.

23  Know well the condition of your flocks,

and give attention to your herds,

24  for ^rriches do not last forever;

and does a crown endure to all generations?

25  When the grass is gone and the new growth appears

and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,

26  the lambs will provide your clothing,

and the goats the price of a field.

27  There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,

for the food of your household

and maintenance for your girls.