Proverbs 27
1 Boast not for tomorrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.
Do not boast about tomorrow; for you do not know 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 you, and not your own mouth; 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 is a burden; but a fool's provocation 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 cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
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 loathes a honeycomb; but to a 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 wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man's friend.
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.
Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend. Do not go to your brother's house in the day of your disaster: better is a neighbor who is near than a distant brother.
11 Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
12 The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.
Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman.
14 He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.
He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.
A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife 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.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Iron sharpens iron; so 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.
Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
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 water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man's eyes are never satisfied. (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.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by 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 you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:
Know well the state of your flocks, 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 riches are not forever, nor does even the crown endure to all generations.
25 The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.
The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a 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.
There will be plenty of goats' milk for your food, for your family's food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
