Proverbs 27
1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what the future day may bring.
2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth: an outsider, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than they both.
A stone is weighty, and sand is burdensome; but the wrath of the foolish is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
Anger holds no mercy, nor does fury when it erupts. And who can bear the assault of one who has been provoked?
5 Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden.
An open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are importunate.
The wounds of a loved one are better than the deceitful kisses of a hateful one.
7 The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
A sated soul will trample the honeycomb. And a hungry soul will accept even bitter in place of sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
Just like a bird migrating from her nest, so also is a man who abandons his place.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
Ointment and various perfumes delight the heart. And the good advice 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 dismiss your friend or your father’s friend. And do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your affliction. A close neighbor is better than a distant brother.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that taunteth me.
My son, study wisdom, and rejoice my heart, so that you may be able to respond to the one who reproaches.
12 A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.
The discerning man, seeing evil, hides himself. The little ones, continuing on, sustain losses.
13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman.
Take away the garment of him who has vouched for an outsider. And take a pledge from him on behalf of foreigners.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
Whoever blesses his neighbor with a grand voice, rising in the night, shall be like one who curses.
15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike;
A roof leaking on a cold day, and an argumentative woman, are comparable.
16 He that would hide her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand betrayeth itself.
He who would restrain her, he is like one who would grasp the wind, or who would gather together oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Iron sharpens iron, and a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
Whoever maintains the fig tree shall eat its fruit. And whoever is the keeper of his master shall be glorified.
19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
In the manner of faces looking into shining water, so are the hearts of men made manifest to the prudent.
20 The nether-world and Destruction are never satiated; so the eyes of man are never satiated. (Sheol h7585)
Hell and perdition are never filled; similarly the eyes of men are insatiable. (Sheol h7585)
21 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, and a man is tried by his praise.
In the manner of silver being tested in the refinery, and gold in the furnace, so also is a man tested by the mouth of one who praises. The heart of the iniquitous inquires after evils, but the heart of the righteous inquires after knowledge.
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 you were to crush the foolish with a mortar, as when a pestle strikes over pearled barley, his foolishness would not be taken from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds;
Be diligent to know the countenance of your cattle, and consider your own flocks,
24 For riches are not for ever; and doth the crown endure unto all generations?
for you will not always hold this power. But a crown shall be awarded from generation to generation.
25 When the hay is mown, and the tender grass showeth itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in;
The meadows are open, and the green plants have appeared, and the hay has been collected from the mountains.
26 The lambs will be for thy clothing, and the goats the price for a field.
Lambs are for your clothing, and goats are for the price 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.
Let the milk of goats be sufficient for your food, and for the necessities of your household, and for the provisions of your handmaids.
