Proverbs 27
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.
2 Let someone else praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips.
Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your 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 sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than 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 overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better is an open rebuke than hidden love.
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds caused by a friend, but an enemy may kiss you profusely.
The wounds of a friend are faithful, although 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.
A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a 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 wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Perfume and incense make the heart rejoice, but the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere counsel.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
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.
Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbour who is near is better than a distant brother.
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice; then I will give back an answer to the one who mocks me.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
12 A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive people go on and suffer because of it.
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; 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 when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward 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 who blesses his neighbour with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 A quarreling wife is like the constant dripping on a rainy day;
A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or trying to catch oil in your right hand.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, a man sharpens his friend.
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
18 The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and the one who protects his master will be honored.
Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honoured.
19 Just as water reflects a person's face, so a person's heart reflects the person.
Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
20 Just as Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, so a man's eyes are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 A crucible is for silver and a furnace is for gold; and a person is tested when he is praised.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined 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 you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks and be concerned about your herds,
Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds,
24 for wealth is not forever. Does a crown endure for all generations?
for riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to 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 removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 Those lambs will provide your clothing and the goats will provide the price of the field.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
27 There will be goats' milk for your food—the food for your household— and nourishment for your servant girls.
There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
