Proverbs 27
1 Boast not of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what the next day shall bring forth.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth!
2 Let thy neighbour, and not thine own mouth, praise thee; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand cumbersome; but a fool's wrath is heavier than both.
A stone is heavy and sand is weighty; But a fool's wrath is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.
Wrath is cruel, and anger overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Open reproofs are better than secret love.
Better is open rebuke Than love kept concealed.
6 The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear sweet.
He who is fed to the full loatheth the honeycomb; But to the hungry any bitter thing is sweet.
8 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.
As a bird that wandereth from its nest, So is a man who wandereth from his place.
9 The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
Oil and perfume gladden the heart; Sweet also is one's friend by hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and when thou art in distress go not into thy brother's house: better is a friend [that is] near than a brother living far off.
Thine own friend and thy father's friend forsake not; And go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity. Better is a neighbor that is near, than a brother far off.
11 Son, be wise, that thy heart may rejoice; and remove thou from thyself reproachful words.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, That I may give an answer to him that reproacheth me.
12 A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; The simple pass on, and are punished.
13 Take away the man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.
Take his garment who is surety for another; Yea, take a pledge of him who is bound for a stranger.
14 Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [him].
He who blesseth his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early for it, It shall be accounted to him as a curse.
15 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.
A continual dropping in a very rainy day And a quarrelsome wife are alike.
16 The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
He who restraineth her restraineth the wind; And his right hand layeth hold of oil.
17 Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
Iron sharpeneth iron; So one man sharpeneth the face of another.
18 He that plants a fig-tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honoured.
He that watcheth the fig-tree shall eat its fruit; So he that is careful for his master shall come to honor.
19 As faces are not like [other] faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.
As in water face answereth to face, So doth the heart of man to man.
20 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)
The realms of the dead are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 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.
The refining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; So let a man be to the mouth that giveth him praise.
22 Though thou scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, thou wilt [still] in no wise remove his folly from him.
Though thou shouldst beat a fool in a mortar, Among bruised wheat, with a pestle, Yet will not his folly depart from him.
23 Do thou thoroughly know the number of thy flock, and pay attention to thine herds.
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, And look well to thy herds!
24 For a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.
For riches last not for ever; Not even a crown endureth from generation to generation.
25 Take care of the herbage in the field, and thou shalt cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
The hay disappeareth, and the tender grass showeth itself, And the herbage of the mountains is gathered in.
26 that thou mayest have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that thou mayest have lambs.
The lambs are thy clothing, And the goats the price of thy field.
27 [My] son, thou hast from me words very useful for thy life, and for the life of thy servants.
There is goat's milk enough for thy food, For the food of thy household, And for the sustenance of thy maidens.
