< Proverbs 27 >
1 Do not boast thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Boast not for tomorrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy own lips.
3 Heavy is a stone, and weighty is sand, —but, the vexation of a fool, is heavier than both.
A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.
4 The cruelty of rage, and the overflow of anger! But who can stand before, jealousy?
Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?
5 Better is a rebuke that is open, than love carefully concealed.
Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but lavished are the kisses of an enemy.
Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.
7 The surfeited soul, trampleth upon droppings from the comb, but, to the hungry soul, every bitter thing, is sweet.
A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.
8 As a bird wandering from her nest, so, is a man wandering from his place.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that leaveth his place.
9 Oil and perfume, rejoice the heart, the sweetness of one’s friend, more than fragrant wood.
Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.
10 Thine own friend and thy father’s friend, do not thou forsake; but, the house of thy brother, do not enter, in thy day of calamity, Better a neighbour near, than a brother far off.
Thy own friend, and thy father’s friend forsake not: and go not into thy brother’s house in the day of thy affliction. Better is a neighbour that is near, than a brother afar off.
11 Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart, that I may answer him that reproacheth me in a matter.
Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.
12 A prudent man, seeth calamity—he hideth himself, the simple, pass on—they suffer.
The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.
13 Take a man’s garment when he hath become pledge for a stranger, then, for a female unknown, accept him as surety.
Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.
14 He that blesseth his friend, with a loud voice, in the morning early, a reproach, shall it be reckoned to him.
He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.
15 A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.
16 He that hideth her, hideth the wind, and, perfume, his right hand may proclaim.
He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call in the oil of his right hand.
17 Let, iron, by iron, become sharp, and let, a man, sharpen the face of his friend.
Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 He that guardeth the fig-tree, shall eat the fruit thereof, and, he that watcheth over his master, shall be honoured.
He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.
19 As in water, face [answereth] to face, so, the heart of man to man.
As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so-the hearts of men are laid open to the wise.
20 Hades and destruction, are not satisfied, and, the eyes of a man, are not satisfied. (Sheol )
Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied. (Sheol )
21 Fining pot for silver, and crucible for gold, and, a man, [is to be tried] by what he praiseth.
As silver is tried in the fining-pot and gold in the furnace: so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth. The heart of the wicked seeketh after evils, but the righteous heart seeketh after knowledge.
22 Though thou pound a fool in a mortar, amidst grain, with a pestle, his folly, will not depart from him.
Though thou shouldst bray a fool in the mortar, as when a pestle striketh upon sodden barley, his folly would not be taken from him.
23 Note well, the appearance of thy flock, apply thy mind to thy herds;
Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:
24 For, not age-abiding, are riches, nor is the diadem, from generation to generation: —
For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.
25 The grass, is taken away, and the young shoot, showeth itself, and the herbage of the mountains, is gathered;
The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.
26 There are, lambs, for thy clothing, and, for the price of thy field, there are he-goats;
Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.
27 With, enough goats-milk, for thy food—for the food of thy household, and, a maintenance, for thy maidens.
Let the milk of the goats be enough for thy food, and for the necessities of thy house, and for maintenance for thy handmaids.