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 yourself of to morrow; for you 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 you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your 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 wrath is heavier than them 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 outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5 Open criticism is better than hidden love.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
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 deceitful.
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 an 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 that wanders 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 does 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.
Your own friend, and your father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into your brother’s house in the day of your calamity: for better is a neighbor 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 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 foresees the evil, and hides himself; but the simple 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 take a pledge of him 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 that blesses 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.
Whoever hides her hides the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which denudes itself.
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.
Whoever keeps the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waits on his master shall be honored.
19 Just as water reflects your face, your mind reflects who you really are.
As in water face answers 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)
Hell and destruction are never full; so 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.
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to 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 you should bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, 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 you diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds.
24 for wealth doesn't last forever—is a crown passed down through all generations?
For riches are not for ever: and does the crown endure to every generation?
25 Once the hay is cut, and the new growth begins, and fodder from the mountains is gathered,
The hay appears, and the tender grass shows itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
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 your clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
27 there'll be enough milk from your goats to feed you, your family, and your servant girls.
And you shall have goats’ milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and for the maintenance for your maidens.
