Proverbs 27
1 Don't boast about what you're going to do tomorrow, because you don't know what the day may bring.
Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou know not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let others praise you, not you yourself; someone else, not you personally.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 Stone may be heavy, and sand may weigh a lot, but the annoyance caused by stupid people is the biggest burden of all.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty, but a fool's vexation is heavier than both.
4 Fury may be fierce and cruel, anger may be a destructive flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Open criticism is better than hidden love.
Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden.
6 A friend's honest comments may hurt you, but an enemy's kisses are over the top.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 If you're full up, you can't face honey; but if you're starving, even bitter food tastes sweet.
The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Having to leave home is like a bird having to leave its nest.
As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his place.
9 Perfume and scented oils make you feel happy, but good advice from a friend is even better.
Oil and perfume rejoice the heart, so too the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
10 Don't give up on your friends or your family's friends. Don't go to a relative's house when you've got trouble. A friend nearby is more useful than a relative far away.
Forsake not thine own friend, and thy father's friend. And go not to thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity. Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far off.
11 My son, make me happy by being wise, so I can respond to anyone who criticizes me.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 If you're sensible you see danger coming and get out of the way; but stupid people just keep going and suffer the consequences.
A prudent man sees the evil, and hides himself. The simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 If someone guarantees a stranger's debt with their cloak, be sure to take it! Make sure you have whatever is pledged to an immoral woman!
Take his garment who is surety for a stranger, and hold him in pledge who is surety for a strange woman.
14 If when you get up every morning you shout a loud hello to your neighbors, they will see that as a curse!
He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be considered a curse to him.
15 An argumentative wife is as irritating as constant dripping on a rainy day.
A continual dropping in a very rainy day, and a contentious woman are alike.
16 Trying to stop her is like trying to make the wind stop or trying to hold olive oil in your hand.
He who would restrain her restrains the wind, and his right hand encounters oil.
17 An iron blade is sharpened with an iron tool, and one person's mind is sharpened by another's.
Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Those who care for a fig tree eat its fruit, and those who care for their master are rewarded.
He who keeps the fig tree shall eat the fruit of it, and he who regards his master shall be honored.
19 Just as water reflects your face, your mind reflects who you really are.
As in water face is to face, so the heart of a man is to a man.
20 In the same way that the grave and destruction are never satisfied, human desire is never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Just as a crucible tests silver, and a furnace tests gold, people are tested by the praise they receive.
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, and a man is tried by his praise.
22 Even if you ground stupid people in a mortar, crushing them like grain with the pestle, you can't get rid of stupidity from them.
Though thou should pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 You should know the condition of your flocks really well and take good care of your herds,
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 for wealth doesn't last forever—is a crown passed down through all generations?
For riches are not forever. And does the crown endure to all generations?
25 Once the hay is cut, and the new growth begins, and fodder from the mountains is gathered,
The hay is carried, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
26 and the lambs have provided you wool to make clothing, and the sale of goats have paid for a field,
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the cost of the field.
27 there'll be enough milk from your goats to feed you, your family, and your servant girls.
And then will be goats' milk enough for thy food; for the food of thy household, and maintenance for thy maidens.
