Proverbs 27
1 Do not boast about tomorrow; for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
Let someone else 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.
Consider the heaviness of a stone and the weight of sand— the provocation of a fool is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
There is the cruelty of rage and the flood of anger, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Better is an open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
Faithful are the wounds caused by a friend, but an enemy may kiss you profusely.
7 A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
A person who has eaten to the full rejects even a honeycomb, but to the hungry person, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who strays from where he lives.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man's friend.
Perfume and incense make the heart rejoice, but the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere counsel.
10 Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend. Do not go to your brother's house in the day of your disaster: better is a neighbor who is near than a distant brother.
Do not forsake your friend and your friend's father, and do not go to your brother's house on the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is nearby than a brother who is far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice; then I will give back an answer to the one who mocks me.
12 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive people go on and suffer because of it.
13 Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman.
Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
Whoever gives his neighbor a blessing with a loud voice early in the morning, that blessing will be considered to be a curse!
15 A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
A quarreling wife is like the constant dripping on a rainy day;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or trying to catch oil in your right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, a man sharpens his friend.
18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and the one who protects his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.
Just as water reflects a person's face, so a person's heart reflects the person.
Just as Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, so a man's eyes are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
A crucible is for silver and a furnace is for gold; and a person is tested when he is praised.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
Even if you crush a fool with the pestle—along with the grain— yet his foolishness will not leave him.
23 Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds:
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks and be concerned about your herds,
24 for riches are not forever, nor does even the crown endure to all generations.
for wealth is not forever. Does a crown endure for all generations?
25 The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
You should know when the hay is gone and the new growth appears, and the time when the grass from the hills is gathered in.
26 The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
Those lambs will provide your clothing and the goats will provide the price of the 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.
There will be goats' milk for your food—the food for your household— and nourishment for your servant girls.
