Proverbs 27
1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day will 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 thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let your neighbor, and not your own mouth, praise you; a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than them both.
A stone is heavy, and sand cumbersome; but a fool's wrath is heavier than both.
4 Fury is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
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 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
7 The full soul trampleth on a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is 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 wandereth from 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 perfume rejoice the heart; and the sweetness of one's friend is [the fruit] of hearty counsel.
The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
10 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 neighbour that is near than a brother far 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 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me.
Son, be wise, that your heart may rejoice; and remove you from yourself reproachful words.
12 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; the simple pass on, [and] are punished.
A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
13 Take his garment that is become surety [for] another, and hold him in pledge for a strange woman.
Take away the man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be reckoned a curse to him.
Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [him].
15 A continual dropping on a very rainy 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 whosoever will restrain her restraineth the wind, and his right hand encountereth oil.
The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
17 Iron is sharpened by iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that guardeth his master shall be honoured.
He that plants a fig tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honored.
19 As [in] water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man.
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 The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.
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 If thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his folly depart 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 well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds:
Do you thoroughly know the number of your flock, and pay attention to your herds.
24 for wealth is not for ever; and doth the crown [endure] from generation to generation?
For a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.
25 The hay is removed, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
Take care of the herbage in the field, and you shall cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of a field;
that you may have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that you may have lambs.
27 and there is goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and sustenance for thy maidens.
[My] son, you have from me words very useful for your life, and for the life of your servants.
