< Proverbs 27 >
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let someone else praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 Consider the heaviness of a stone and the weight of sand— the provocation of a fool is heavier than both.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s vexation is heavier than them both.
4 There is the cruelty of rage and the flood of anger, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better is an open rebuke than hidden love.
Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden.
6 Faithful are the wounds caused by a friend, but an enemy may kiss you profusely.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend: but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 A person who has eaten to the full rejects even a honeycomb, but to the hungry person, every bitter thing is sweet.
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb: but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who strays from where he lives.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Perfume and incense make the heart rejoice, but the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere counsel.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend [that cometh] of hearty counsel.
10 Do not forsake your friend and your friend's father, and do not go to your brother's house on the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is nearby than a brother who is far away.
Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; and go not to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice; then I will give back an answer to the one who mocks me.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive people go on and suffer because of it.
A prudent man seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself: [but] the simple pass on, [and] suffer for it.
13 Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge [that is surety] for a strange woman.
14 Whoever gives his neighbor a blessing with a loud voice early in the morning, that blessing will be considered to be a curse!
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 A quarreling wife is like the constant dripping on a rainy day;
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike:
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or trying to catch oil in your right hand.
He that would restrain her restraineth the wind, and his right hand encountereth oil.
17 Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, a man sharpens his friend.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and the one who protects his master will be honored.
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 Just as water reflects a person's face, so a person's heart reflects the person.
As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 Just as Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, so a man's eyes are never satisfied. (Sheol )
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol )
21 A crucible is for silver and a furnace is for gold; and a person is tested when he is praised.
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, and a man is [tried] by his praise.
22 Even if you crush a fool with the pestle—along with the grain— yet his foolishness will not leave him.
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among bruised corn, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks and be concerned about your herds,
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds:
24 for wealth is not forever. Does a crown endure for all generations?
For riches are not for ever; and doth the crown endure unto all generations?
25 You should know when the hay is gone and the new growth appears, and the time when the grass from the hills is gathered in.
The hay is carried, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
26 Those lambs will provide your clothing and the goats will provide the price of the field.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field:
27 There will be goats' milk for your food—the food for your household— and nourishment for your servant girls.
And [there will be] goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; and maintenance for thy maidens.