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 to-morrow; for thou knowest 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 they 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 importunate.
7 If you're full up, you can't face honey; but if you're starving, even bitter food tastes sweet.
The full soul loatheth 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 wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Perfume and scented oils make you feel happy, but good advice from a friend is even better.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth 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.
Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity; better is a neighbour that is near 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 that taunteth 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 seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.
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 that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien 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 that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted 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 that would hide her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand betrayeth itself.
17 An iron blade is sharpened with an iron tool, and one person's mind is sharpened by another's.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth 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.
Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 Just as water reflects your face, your mind reflects who you really are.
As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 In the same way that the grave and destruction are never satisfied, human desire is never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
The nether-world and Destruction are never satiated; so the eyes of man are never satiated. (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 shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness 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 for ever; and doth the crown endure unto all generations?
25 Once the hay is cut, and the new growth begins, and fodder from the mountains is gathered,
When the hay is mown, and the tender grass showeth 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 will be for thy clothing, and the goats the price for a field.
27 there'll be enough milk from your goats to feed you, your family, and your servant girls.
And there will be goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; and maintenance for thy maidens.
