Proverbs 27
1 Boast not for tomorrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.
Boast not of to-morrow; for you know not what the next day shall bring forth.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy own lips.
Let your neighbour, and not your own mouth, praise you; a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.
A stone is heavy, and sand cumbersome; but a fool's wrath is heavier than both.
4 Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?
Wrath is merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.
5 Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
Open reproofs are better than secret love.
6 Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.
The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
7 A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.
A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that leaveth his place.
As when a bird flies down from its own nest, so a man is brought into bondage whenever he estranges himself from his own place.
9 Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.
The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
10 Thy own friend, and thy father’s friend forsake not: and go not into thy brother’s house in the day of thy affliction. Better is a neighbour that is near, than a brother afar off.
Your own friend, and your father's friend, forsake not; and when you are in distress go not into your brother's house: better is a friend [that is] near than a brother living far off.
11 Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.
Son, be wise, that your heart may rejoice; and remove you from yourself reproachful words.
12 The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.
A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
13 Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.
Take away the man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.
14 He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.
Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [him].
15 Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.
On a stormy day drops [of rain] drive a man out of his house; so also does a railing woman [drive a man] out of his own house.
16 He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call in the oil of his right hand.
The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
18 He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.
He that plants a fig tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honoured.
19 As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so-the hearts of men are laid open to the wise.
As faces are not like [other] faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.
Hell and destruction are not filled; so also are the eyes of men insatiable. [He that fixes his eye is an abomination to the Lord; and the uninstructed do not restrain their tongue.] (Sheol h7585)
21 As silver is tried in the fining-pot and gold in the furnace: so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth. The heart of the wicked seeketh after evils, but the righteous heart seeketh after knowledge.
Fire is the trial for silver and gold; and a man is tried by the mouth of them that praise him. The heart of the transgressor seeks after mischiefs; but an upright heart seeks knowledge.
22 Though thou shouldst bray a fool in the mortar, as when a pestle striketh upon sodden barley, his folly would not be taken from him.
Though you scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, you will [still] in no wise remove his folly from him.
23 Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:
Do you thoroughly know the number of your flock, and pay attention to your herds.
24 For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.
For a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.
25 The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.
Take care of the herbage in the field, and you shall cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
26 Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.
that you may have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that you may have lambs.
27 Let the milk of the goats be enough for thy food, and for the necessities of thy house, and for maintenance for thy handmaids.
[My] son, you have from me words very useful for your life, and for the life of your servants.
