Proverbs 27
1 Do not boast about [what you will do] tomorrow, because you do not know what will happen [PRS] on any day.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Do not praise yourself [MTY, PRS]; allow others to praise you. If someone else praises you, that is okay.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth— a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 [It causes pain to our bodies to carry heavy] stones or [a pail full of] sand, but doing something stupid/foolish [can cause] great [pain to other people’s spirits.]
A stone is heavy and sand is a burden, but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
4 It is cruel to be angry [with others], and our being angry sometimes destroys [others], but being jealous of someone is [RHQ] often more cruel than that.
Wrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
5 It is better to correct someone openly than to show that you l don’t love that person [by not correcting him].
Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed.
6 If a friend criticizes you, [he is a good friend and] you can trust him; but if one of your enemies kisses you, he is [probably wanting to] deceive you.
The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 When someone’s stomach is full, he does not want to eat honey; but when someone is [very] hungry, he thinks that [even] bitter things taste sweet.
The soul that is full loathes honey, but to a hungry soul, any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Anyone who wanders [far] from his home/family is like [SIM] a bird that is far from its nest.
Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who wanders from his home.
9 [Putting olive] oil and perfume on a person’s skin causes him to feel good, but having a friend [who gives] good advice [is even better].
Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
10 Do not neglect your friends or your parents’ friends; and at a time when you are experiencing a disaster, do not go to a relative [who lives far away to request his help]; someone who lives near you can help you more than relatives who live far away.
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 child/son, cause me to be happy by becoming wise, in order that I will [know how to] reply to those who would criticize me [about your behavior].
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, so that I can answer him who taunts me.
12 Those who have good sense will realize that there is something dangerous ahead, and they will hide; those who do not have good sense [just] keep going, and later they will suffer because of [doing] that.
The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
13 [You deserve to] have your property taken from you if you [foolishly] promise to a stranger (OR, a strange woman) that you will pay what she owes if she is unable to pay it [DOU].
Take the garment of him who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
14 If you rise early in the morning and call out a greeting to your neighbor [while he is still sleeping], he will consider it to be a curse, [not a blessing].
If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted to him as a curse.
15 [Having] a wife that is [constantly] nagging is as [bad as listening] to rain continually dripping on a rainy day.
A constant dripping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike—
16 [Trying] to restrain/stop her [from doing that] is as [difficult] [SIM] [as trying] to stop the wind or [trying] to hold oil in your hand.
restraining her is like holding back the wind or grasping oil with one’s right hand.
17 [We can use one] iron tool to sharpen [another] iron [tool]; similarly [SIM], [when one person shares] what he is thinking, it can help other people [to think more clearly].
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
18 Those who take care of fig trees will have figs to eat; [similarly], servants who protect their master will be honored [by him].
Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.
19 [When a person looks] in the water, he sees his own face; similarly [SIM], [when we look at] a person’s behavior, we know what he is thinking.
As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the true man.
20 [It is as though] the place where the dead people are is always wanting more people to [die and] come there; and humans [SYN] are always wanting to acquire more things, [too]. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 [Workers put] silver and gold in a very hot furnace [to burn out what is impure], and [SIM] people learn [what we are really like when they see how we react when people] praise us.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but a man is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Even if you beat/crush a fool severely [like] [MET] you pulverize grain with a pestle, you [probably] will not be able to cause him to stop (being foolish/doing foolish things).
Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him.
23 Take good care of your flocks of sheep and herds of cattle,
Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds;
24 because the money [that you acquired from selling animals previously] will not (last/stay with you) forever; similarly [SIM], governments [MTY] certainly do not [RHQ] last forever.
for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation.
25 After you cut the hay [DOU] and [store it to feed the animals in the winter while] a new crop of hay is growing,
When hay is removed and new growth appears and the grain from the hills is gathered,
26 you will be able to [shear the sheep and] make clothes from the wool, and you will get money from selling [some of] the goats to buy [more] land,
the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
27 and you will get enough milk from the [other] goats for you and your family and your female servants.
You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you— food for your household and nourishment for your maidservants.
