Proverbs 27
1 Do not boast about [what you will do] tomorrow, because you do not know what will happen [PRS] on any day.
Boast not of to-morrow; for you know not what the next day shall bring forth.
2 Do not praise yourself [MTY, PRS]; allow others to praise you. If someone else praises you, that is okay.
Let your neighbor, and not your own mouth, praise you; 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 cumbersome; but a fool's wrath is heavier than 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 merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.
5 It is better to correct someone openly than to show that you l don’t love that person [by not correcting him].
Open reproofs are better than secret love.
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 more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
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.
A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear sweet.
8 Anyone who wanders [far] from his home/family is like [SIM] a bird that is far from its nest.
As when a bird flies down from its own nest, so a man is brought into bondage whenever he estranges himself from his own place.
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].
The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
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.
Your own friend, and your father's friend, forsake not; and when you are in distress go not into your brother's house: better is a friend [that is] near than a brother living far off.
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].
Son, be wise, that your heart may rejoice; and remove you from yourself reproachful words.
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.
A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
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 away the man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.
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].
Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [him].
15 [Having] a wife that is [constantly] nagging is as [bad as listening] to rain continually dripping on a rainy day.
On a stormy day drops [of rain] drive a man out of his house; so also does a railing woman [drive a man] out of his own house.
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.
The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
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].
Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
18 Those who take care of fig trees will have figs to eat; [similarly], servants who protect their master will be honored [by him].
He that plants a fig tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall 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 faces are not like [other] faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.
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)
Hell and destruction are not filled; so also are the eyes of men insatiable. [He that fixes his eye is an abomination to the Lord; and the uninstructed do not restrain their tongue.] (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.
Fire is the trial for silver and gold; and a man is tried by the mouth of them that praise him. The heart of the transgressor seeks after mischiefs; but an upright heart seeks knowledge.
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 scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, you will [still] in no wise remove his folly from him.
23 Take good care of your flocks of sheep and herds of cattle,
Do you thoroughly know the number of your flock, and pay 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 a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to 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,
Take care of the herbage in the field, and you shall cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
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,
that you may have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that you may have lambs.
27 and you will get enough milk from the [other] goats for you and your family and your female servants.
[My] son, you have from me words very useful for your life, and for the life of your servants.
