< Proverbs 27 >
1 Boast not of to-morrow; for you know not what the next day shall bring forth.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let your neighbour, and not your own mouth, praise you; 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 cumbersome; but a fool's wrath 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 merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.
There is the cruelty of rage and the flood of anger, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Open reproofs are better than secret love.
Better is an open rebuke than hidden love.
6 The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
Faithful are the wounds caused by a friend, but an enemy may kiss you profusely.
7 A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear 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 when a bird flies down from its own nest, so a man is brought into bondage whenever he estranges himself from his own place.
Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who strays from where he lives.
9 The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
Perfume and incense make the heart rejoice, but the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere counsel.
10 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.
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 Son, be wise, that your heart may rejoice; and remove you from yourself reproachful words.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice; then I will give back an answer to the one who mocks me.
12 A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive people go on and suffer because of it.
13 Take away the man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.
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 Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [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 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 quarreling wife is like the constant dripping on a rainy day;
16 The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or trying to catch oil in your right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, a man sharpens his friend.
18 He that plants a fig tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honoured.
The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and the one who protects his master will be honored.
19 As faces are not like [other] faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.
Just as water reflects a person's face, so a person's heart reflects the person.
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 )
Just as Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, so a man's eyes are never satisfied. (Sheol )
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.
A crucible is for silver and a furnace is for gold; and a person is tested when he is praised.
22 Though you scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, you will [still] in no wise remove his folly from him.
Even if you crush a fool with the pestle—along with the grain— yet his foolishness will not leave him.
23 Do you thoroughly know the number of your flock, and pay attention to your herds.
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks and be concerned about your herds,
24 For a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.
for wealth is not forever. Does a crown endure for all generations?
25 Take care of the herbage in the field, and you shall cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
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 that you may have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that you may have lambs.
Those lambs will provide your clothing and the goats will provide the price of the field.
27 [My] son, you have from me words very useful for your life, and for the life of your servants.
There will be goats' milk for your food—the food for your household— and nourishment for your servant girls.