Proverbs 27
1 Boast not of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what the next day shall bring forth.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what the future day may bring.
2 Let thy neighbour, and not thine own mouth, praise thee; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth: an outsider, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand cumbersome; but a fool's wrath is heavier than both.
A stone is weighty, and sand is burdensome; but the wrath of the foolish is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.
Anger holds no mercy, nor does fury when it erupts. And who can bear the assault of one who has been provoked?
5 Open reproofs are better than secret love.
An open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
The wounds of a loved one are better than the deceitful kisses of a hateful one.
7 A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear sweet.
A sated soul will trample the honeycomb. And a hungry soul will accept even bitter in place of sweet.
8 As when a bird flies down from its own nest, so a man is brought into bondage whenever he estranges himself from his own place.
Just like a bird migrating from her nest, so also is a man who abandons his place.
9 The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
Ointment and various perfumes delight the heart. And the good advice of a friend is sweet to the soul.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and when thou art in distress go not into thy brother's house: better is a friend [that is] near than a brother living far off.
Do not dismiss your friend or your father’s friend. And do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your affliction. A close neighbor is better than a distant brother.
11 Son, be wise, that thy heart may rejoice; and remove thou from thyself reproachful words.
My son, study wisdom, and rejoice my heart, so that you may be able to respond to the one who reproaches.
12 A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
The discerning man, seeing evil, hides himself. The little ones, continuing on, sustain losses.
13 Take away the man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.
Take away the garment of him who has vouched for an outsider. And take a pledge from him on behalf of foreigners.
14 Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [him].
Whoever blesses his neighbor with a grand voice, rising in the night, shall be like one who curses.
15 On a stormy day drops [of rain] drive a man out of his house; so also does a railing woman [drive a man] out of his own house.
A roof leaking on a cold day, and an argumentative woman, are comparable.
16 The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
He who would restrain her, he is like one who would grasp the wind, or who would gather together oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
Iron sharpens iron, and a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 He that plants a fig-tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honoured.
Whoever maintains the fig tree shall eat its fruit. And whoever is the keeper of his master shall be glorified.
19 As faces are not like [other] faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.
In the manner of faces looking into shining water, so are the hearts of men made manifest to the prudent.
20 Hell and destruction are not filled; so also are the eyes of men insatiable. [He that fixes his eye is an abomination to the Lord; and the uninstructed do not restrain their tongue.] (Sheol h7585)
Hell and perdition are never filled; similarly the eyes of men are insatiable. (Sheol h7585)
21 Fire is the trial for silver and gold; and a man is tried by the mouth of them that praise him. The heart of the transgressor seeks after mischiefs; but an upright heart seeks knowledge.
In the manner of silver being tested in the refinery, and gold in the furnace, so also is a man tested by the mouth of one who praises. The heart of the iniquitous inquires after evils, but the heart of the righteous inquires after knowledge.
22 Though thou scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, thou wilt [still] in no wise remove his folly from him.
Even if you were to crush the foolish with a mortar, as when a pestle strikes over pearled barley, his foolishness would not be taken from him.
23 Do thou thoroughly know the number of thy flock, and pay attention to thine herds.
Be diligent to know the countenance of your cattle, and consider your own flocks,
24 For a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.
for you will not always hold this power. But a crown shall be awarded from generation to generation.
25 Take care of the herbage in the field, and thou shalt cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
The meadows are open, and the green plants have appeared, and the hay has been collected from the mountains.
26 that thou mayest have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that thou mayest have lambs.
Lambs are for your clothing, and goats are for the price of a field.
27 [My] son, thou hast from me words very useful for thy life, and for the life of thy servants.
Let the milk of goats be sufficient for your food, and for the necessities of your household, and for the provisions of your handmaids.
