< Proverbs 27 >
1 Boast not for tomorrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.
BOAST not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy 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 weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5 Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6 Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that leaveth his place.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
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.
Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13 Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14 He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call in the oil of his right hand.
Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his 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 in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied. (Sheol )
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol )
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.
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
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 thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.
For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
25 The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.
The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
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.
And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.