< Proverbs 27 >
1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow, For thou knowest not what a day bringeth forth.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, A stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine 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 the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than they both.
4 Fury [is] fierce, and anger [is] overflowing, And who standeth before jealousy?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better [is] open reproof than hidden love.
Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are importunate.
7 A satiated soul treadeth down a honeycomb, And [to] a hungry soul every bitter thing [is] sweet.
The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird wandering from her nest, So [is] a man wandering from his place.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, And the sweetness of one's friend — from counsel of the soul.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
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.
Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into 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 rejoice my heart. And I return my reproacher a word.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that taunteth me.
12 The prudent hath seen the evil, he is hidden, The simple have passed on, they are punished.
A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.
13 Take his garment, when a stranger hath been surety, And for a strange woman pledge it.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman.
14 Whoso is saluting his friend with a loud voice, In the morning rising early, A light thing it is reckoned to him.
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 A continual dropping in a day of rain, And a woman of contentions are alike,
A continual dropping in a very 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.
He that would hide her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand betrayeth itself.
17 Iron by iron is sharpened, And a man sharpens the face of his friend.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 The keeper of a fig-tree eateth its fruit, And the preserver of his master is honoured.
Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 As [in] water the face [is] to face, So the heart of man to man.
As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied. (Sheol )
The nether-world and Destruction are never satiated; so the eyes of man are never satiated. (Sheol )
21 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, and a man is tried by his praise.
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 thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Know well the face of thy flock, Set thy heart to the droves,
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds;
24 For riches [are] not to the age, Nor a crown to generation and generation.
For riches are not for ever; and doth the crown endure unto all generations?
25 Revealed was the hay, and seen the tender grass, And gathered the herbs of mountains.
When the hay is mown, and the tender grass showeth itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in;
26 Lambs [are] for thy clothing, And the price of the field [are] he-goats,
The lambs will be for thy clothing, and the goats the price for a field.
27 And a sufficiency of goats' milk [is] for thy bread, For bread to thy house, and life to thy damsels!
And there will be goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; and maintenance for thy maidens.