Do Not Boast about Tomorrow
(James 4:13–17)

1  אַֽל־ (Not) תִּ֭תְהַלֵּל (do boast) בְּי֣וֹם (about) מָחָ֑ר (tomorrow),

כִּ֤י (for) לֹא־ (not) תֵ֝דַ֗ע (do you know) מַה־ (what) יֵּ֥לֶד (will bring forth) יֽוֹם׃ (a day).

2  יְהַלֶּלְךָ֣ (Let praise you) זָ֣ר (a stranger), וְלֹא־ (and not) פִ֑יךָ (your own mouth)—

נָ֝כְרִ֗י (a foreigner), וְאַל־ (and not) שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ (your own lips).

3  כֹּֽבֶד־ (The heaviness) אֶ֭בֶן (of a stone) וְנֵ֣טֶל (and weight) הַח֑וֹל (of the sand),

וְכַ֥עַס (and the anger) אֱ֝וִ֗יל (of a fool) כָּבֵ֥ד (is heavier) מִשְּׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ (than both of them).

4  אַכְזְרִיּ֣וּת (The cruelty) חֵ֭מָה (of rage) וְשֶׁ֣טֶף (and the flood) אָ֑ף (of a nostril),

וּמִ֥י (and who) יַ֝עֲמֹד (can stand) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the face) קִנְאָֽה׃ (of jealousy)?

5  ט֭וֹבָה (Better is) תּוֹכַ֣חַת (a rebuke) מְגֻלָּ֑ה (uncovered)

מֵֽאַהֲבָ֥ה (than love) מְסֻתָּֽרֶת׃ (hidden).

6  נֶ֭אֱמָנִים (Faithful are) פִּצְעֵ֣י (the wounds) אוֹהֵ֑ב (of one who loves),

וְ֝נַעְתָּר֗וֹת (and abundant are) נְשִׁיק֥וֹת (the kisses) שׂוֹנֵֽא׃ (of one hating).

7  נֶ֣פֶשׁ (A soul) שְׂ֭בֵעָה (satiated) תָּב֣וּס (would trample) נֹ֑פֶת (a honeycomb),

וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ (and to a soul) רְ֝עֵבָ֗ה (hungry) כָּל־ (everything) מַ֥ר (bitter) מָתֽוֹק׃ (is sweet).

8  כְּ֭צִפּוֹר (Like a bird) נוֹדֶ֣דֶת (wandering) מִן־ (from) קִנָּ֑הּ (her nest),

כֵּֽן־ (so) אִ֝֗ישׁ (is a man) נוֹדֵ֥ד (wandering) מִמְּקוֹמֽוֹ׃ (from his place).

9  שֶׁ֣מֶן (Oil) וּ֭קְטֹרֶת (and incense) יְשַׂמַּֽח־ (gladden) לֵ֑ב (the heart),

וּמֶ֥תֶק (and the sweetness) רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ (of one’s friend) מֵֽעֲצַת־ (is from the counsel) נָֽפֶשׁ׃ (of the soul).

10  רֵֽעֲךָ֨ (Your friend), וְרֵעֶה (and the friend) אָבִ֡יךָ (of your father), אַֽל־ (not) תַּעֲזֹ֗ב (should you forsake),

וּבֵ֥ית (and the house) אָחִ֗יךָ (of your brother) אַל־ (do not) תָּ֭בוֹא (enter)

בְּי֣וֹם (in the day) אֵידֶ֑ךָ (of your calamity);

ט֥וֹב (better) שָׁכֵ֥ן (a neighbor) קָ֝ר֗וֹב (nearby)

מֵאָ֥ח (than a brother) רָחֽוֹק׃ (far away).

11  חֲכַ֣ם (Be wise), בְּ֭נִי (my son), וְשַׂמַּ֣ח (and gladden) לִבִּ֑י (my heart),

וְאָשִׁ֖יבָה (that I may return to) חֹרְפִ֣י (the one reproaching me) דָבָֽר׃ (a word).

12  עָר֤וּם (A prudent one) רָאָ֣ה (sees) רָעָ֣ה (evil coming); נִסְתָּ֑ר (he hides himself);

פְּ֝תָאיִ֗ם (simple ones) עָבְר֥וּ (pass along); נֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃ (and they are punished).

13  קַח־ (Take) בִּ֭גְדוֹ (his garment) כִּי־ (when) עָ֣רַב (posts security) זָ֑ר (a stranger),

וּבְעַ֖ד (and for) נָכְרִיָּ֣ה (a foreign woman) חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃ (pledge it).

14  מְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ (The one blessing) רֵעֵ֨הוּ׀ (his friend) בְּק֣וֹל (with a voice) גָּ֭דוֹל (loud), בַּבֹּ֣קֶר (in the morning) הַשְׁכֵּ֑ים (rising early),

קְ֝לָלָ֗ה (as a curse) תֵּחָ֥שֶׁב (it will be counted) לֽוֹ׃ (for him).

15  דֶּ֣לֶף (A dripping) ט֭וֹרֵד (continual) בְּי֣וֹם (in a day) סַגְרִ֑יר (of rain)

וְאֵ֥שֶׁת (and a woman) מְדוֹנִים (of quarrels) נִשְׁתָּוָֽה׃ (are alike)—

16  צֹפְנֶ֥יהָ (hiding her) צָֽפַן־ (is hiding) ר֑וּחַ (the wind),

וְשֶׁ֖מֶן (or oil) יְמִינ֣וֹ (with one’s right hand) יִקְרָֽא׃ (grasping).

17  בַּרְזֶ֣ל (Iron) בְּבַרְזֶ֣ל (by iron) יָ֑חַד (is sharpened),

וְ֝אִ֗ישׁ (and a man) יַ֣חַד (sharpens) פְּנֵֽי־ (the face) רֵעֵֽהוּ׃ (of his friend).

18  נֹצֵ֣ר (One keeping watch over) תְּ֭אֵנָה (a fig tree) יֹאכַ֣ל (will eat) פִּרְיָ֑הּ (its fruit),

וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר (and the one guarding) אֲדֹנָ֣יו (his master) יְכֻבָּֽד׃ (will be honored).

19  כַּ֭מַּיִם (As in the water) הַפָּנִ֣ים (the face is) לַפָּנִ֑ים (to the face),

כֵּ֤ן (so) לֵֽב־ (the heart) הָ֝אָדָ֗ם (of the man) לָאָדָֽם׃ (is to the man).

20  שְׁא֣וֹל (Sheol) וַאֲבַדֹּה (and Abaddon) לֹ֣א (never) תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה (are satisfied);

וְעֵינֵ֥י (and the eyes) הָ֝אָדָ֗ם (of the man) לֹ֣א (never) תִשְׂבַּֽעְנָה׃ (are satisfied).

21  מַצְרֵ֣ף (As the crucible is) לַ֭כֶּסֶף (for the silver), וְכ֣וּר (and the furnace) לַזָּהָ֑ב (for the gold),

וְ֝אִ֗ישׁ (so is a man) לְפִ֣י (by the mouth) מַהֲלָלֽוֹ׃ (of one who praises him).

22  אִ֥ם (Though) תִּכְתּֽוֹשׁ־ (you may pound) אֶת־ (-) הָאֱוִ֨יל׀ (a fool) בַּֽמַּכְתֵּ֡שׁ (in the mortar) בְּת֣וֹךְ (in the midst) הָ֭רִיפוֹת (of the grain) בַּֽעֱלִ֑י (with the pestle),

לֹא־ (not) תָס֥וּר (will turn away) מֵ֝עָלָ֗יו (from him) אִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃פ (his folly).

23  יָדֹ֣עַ (Knowing) תֵּ֭דַע (you should know) פְּנֵ֣י (the faces) צֹאנֶ֑ךָ (of your flock);

שִׁ֥ית (and set) לִ֝בְּךָ֗ (your heart) לַעֲדָרִֽים׃ (to your herds).

24  כִּ֤י (For) לֹ֣א (are not) לְעוֹלָ֣ם (forever) חֹ֑סֶן (riches)

וְאִם־ (and not) נֵ֝֗זֶר (is a diadem) לְד֣וֹר (for generation) דּוֹר׃ (and generation).

25  גָּלָ֣ה (Is uncovered) חָ֭צִיר (the hay), וְנִרְאָה־ (and is visible) דֶ֑שֶׁא (the tender grass),

וְ֝נֶאֶסְפ֗וּ (and are gathered) עִשְּׂב֥וֹת (the herbs) הָרִֽים׃ (of the mountains).

26  כְּבָשִׂ֥ים (The lambs) לִלְבוּשֶׁ֑ךָ (are for your clothing),

וּמְחִ֥יר (and the price) שָׂ֝דֶ֗ה (of a field) עַתּוּדִֽים׃ (the goats).

27  וְדֵ֤י׀ (And enough) חֲלֵ֬ב (milk) עִזִּ֗ים (of goats) לְֽ֭לַחְמְךָ (is for your foor),

לְלֶ֣חֶם (for the food) בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ (of your house) וְ֝חַיִּ֗ים (and the life) לְנַעֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (of your maidservants).