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 a 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— a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone [is] heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath [is] heavier than them both.
A stone is heavy and sand is a burden, but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
4 Wrath [is] cruel, and anger [is] outrageous; but who [is] able to stand before envy?
Wrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
5 Open rebuke [is] better than secret love.
Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful.
The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
The soul that is full loathes honey, but to a hungry soul, any 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 that strays from its nest is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel 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: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off.
Do not forsake your friend or your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, so that I can answer him who taunts me.
12 A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [but] the simple pass on, [and] are punished.
The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
Take the garment of him who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted to him as a curse.
15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
A constant dripping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike—
16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, [which] bewrayeth [itself].
restraining her is like holding back the wind or grasping oil with one’s right hand.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.
19 As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man.
As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the true man.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 [As] the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so [is] a man to his praise.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but a man is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, [yet] will not his foolishness depart from him.
Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds.
Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds;
24 For riches [are] not for ever: and doth the crown [endure] to every generation?
for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation.
25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
When hay is removed and new growth appears and the grain from the hills is gathered,
26 The lambs [are] for thy clothing, and the goats [are] the price of the field.
the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
27 And [thou shalt have] goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens.
You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you— food for your household and nourishment for your maidservants.
