Proverbs 27
1 Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.
Boast not yourself of to morrow; for you know not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
Let another man 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.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6 The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
The full soul loathes an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man that wanders from his place.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so does the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
10 Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother.
Your own friend, and your father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into your brother’s house in the day of your calamity: for better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproaches me.
12 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13 Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
He that blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
Whoever hides her hides the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which denudes itself.
17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
Whoever keeps the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waits on his master shall be honored.
19 Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
As in water face answers to face, so the heart of man to man.
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
Though you should bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds,
Be you diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds.
24 for riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to all generations.
For riches are not for ever: and does the crown endure to every generation?
25 The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
The hay appears, and the tender grass shows itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are 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.
And you shall have goats’ milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and for the maintenance for your maidens.
