Proverbs 27
1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Do not make a noise about tomorrow, for you are not certain what a day's outcome may be.
2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let another man give you praise, and not your mouth; one who is strange to you, and not your lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than they both.
A stone has great weight, and sand is crushing; but the wrath of the foolish is of greater weight than these.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
Wrath is cruel, and angry feeling an overflowing stream; but who does not give way before envy?
5 Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden.
Better is open protest than love kept secret.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are importunate.
The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false.
7 The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
The full man has no use for honey, but to the man in need of food every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
Oil and perfume make glad the heart, and the wise suggestion of a friend is sweet to the soul.
10 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.
Do not give up your friend and your father's friend; and do not go into your brother's house in the day of your trouble: better is a neighbour who is near than a brother far off.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that taunteth me.
My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so that I may give back an answer to him who puts me to shame.
12 A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.
The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.
13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman.
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
He who gives a blessing to his friend with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning, will have it put to his account as a curse.
15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike;
Like an unending dropping on a day of rain is a bitter-tongued woman.
16 He that would hide her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand betrayeth itself.
He who keeps secret the secret of his friend, will get himself a name for good faith.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
Whoever keeps a fig-tree will have its fruit; and the servant waiting on his master will be honoured.
19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
Like face looking at face in water, so are the hearts of men to one another.
20 The nether-world and Destruction are never satiated; so the eyes of man are never satiated. (Sheol h7585)
The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough. (Sheol h7585)
21 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, and a man is tried by his praise.
The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, and a man is measured by what he is praised for.
22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds;
Take care to have knowledge about the condition of your flocks, looking well after your herds;
24 For riches are not for ever; and doth the crown endure unto all generations?
For wealth is not for ever, and money does not go on for all generations.
25 When the hay is mown, and the tender grass showeth itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in;
The grass comes up and the young grass is seen, and the mountain plants are got in.
26 The lambs will be for thy clothing, and the goats the price for a field.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the he-goats make the value of a field:
27 And there will be goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; and maintenance for thy maidens.
There will be goats' milk enough for your food, and for the support of your servant-girls.
