Proverbs 27
1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow, For thou knowest not what a day bringeth forth.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, A stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth— a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone [is] heavy, and the sand [is] heavy, And the anger of a fool Is heavier than they both.
A stone is heavy and sand is a burden, but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
4 Fury [is] fierce, and anger [is] overflowing, And who standeth before jealousy?
Wrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
5 Better [is] open reproof than hidden love.
Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.
The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 A satiated soul treadeth down a honeycomb, And [to] a hungry soul every bitter thing [is] sweet.
The soul that is full loathes honey, but to a hungry soul, any bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird wandering from her nest, So [is] a man wandering from his place.
Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, And the sweetness of one's friend — from counsel of the soul.
Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
10 Thine own friend, and the friend of thy father, forsake not, And the house of thy brother enter not In a day of thy calamity, Better [is] a near neighbour than a brother afar off.
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 Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart. And I return my reproacher a word.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, so that I can answer him who taunts me.
12 The prudent hath seen the evil, he is hidden, The simple have passed on, they are punished.
The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
13 Take his garment, when a stranger hath been surety, And for a strange woman pledge it.
Take the garment of him who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
14 Whoso is saluting his friend with a loud voice, In the morning rising early, A light thing it is reckoned to him.
If one blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted to him as a curse.
15 A continual dropping in a day of rain, And a woman of contentions are alike,
A constant dripping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike—
16 Whoso is hiding her hath hidden the wind, And the ointment of his right hand calleth out.
restraining her is like holding back the wind or grasping oil with one’s right hand.
17 Iron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend.
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
18 The keeper of a fig-tree eateth its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honoured.
Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.
19 As [in] water the face [is] to face, So the heart of man to man.
As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the true man.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but a man is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 If thou dost beat the foolish in a mortar, Among washed things — with a pestle, His folly turneth not aside from off him.
Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him.
23 Know well the face of thy flock, Set thy heart to the droves,
Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds;
24 For riches [are] not to the age, Nor a crown to generation and generation.
for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation.
25 Revealed was the hay, and seen the tender grass, And gathered the herbs of mountains.
When hay is removed and new growth appears and the grain from the hills is gathered,
26 Lambs [are] for thy clothing, And the price of the field [are] he-goats,
the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
27 And a sufficiency of goats' milk [is] for thy bread, For bread to thy house, and life to thy damsels!
You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you— food for your household and nourishment for your maidservants.
