Proverbs 27
1 Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.
Do not boast thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
Heavy is a stone, and weighty is sand, —but, the vexation of a fool, is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
The cruelty of rage, and the overflow of anger! But who can stand before, jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Better is a rebuke that is open, than love carefully concealed.
6 The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but lavished are the kisses of an enemy.
7 A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
The surfeited soul, trampleth upon droppings from the comb, but, to the hungry soul, every bitter thing, is sweet.
8 As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
As a bird wandering from her nest, so, is a man wandering from his place.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
Oil and perfume, rejoice the heart, the sweetness of one’s friend, more than fragrant wood.
10 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 neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother.
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.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart, that I may answer him that reproacheth me in a matter.
12 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
A prudent man, seeth calamity—he hideth himself, the simple, pass on—they suffer.
13 Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
Take a man’s garment when he hath become pledge for a stranger, then, for a female unknown, accept him as surety.
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
He that blesseth his friend, with a loud voice, in the morning early, a reproach, shall it be reckoned to him.
15 A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
He that hideth her, hideth the wind, and, perfume, his right hand may proclaim.
17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
Let, iron, by iron, become sharp, and let, a man, sharpen the face of his friend.
18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
He that guardeth the fig-tree, shall eat the fruit thereof, and, he that watcheth over his master, shall be honoured.
19 Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
As in water, face [answereth] to face, so, the heart of man to man.
Hades and destruction, are not satisfied, and, the eyes of a man, are not satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
Fining pot for silver, and crucible for gold, and, a man, [is to be tried] by what he praiseth.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
Though thou pound a fool in a mortar, amidst grain, with a pestle, his folly, will not depart from him.
23 Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds,
Note well, the appearance of thy flock, apply thy mind to thy herds;
24 for riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to all generations.
For, not age-abiding, are riches, nor is the diadem, from generation to generation: —
25 The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
The grass, is taken away, and the young shoot, showeth itself, and the herbage of the mountains, is gathered;
26 The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
There are, lambs, for thy clothing, and, for the price of thy field, there are he-goats;
27 There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
With, enough goats-milk, for thy food—for the food of thy household, and, a maintenance, for thy maidens.
