27 Do not boast(A) about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.(B)

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
    an outsider, and not your own lips.(C)

Stone is heavy and sand(D) a burden,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
    but who can stand before jealousy?(E)

Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.

Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
    but an enemy multiplies kisses.(F)

One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
    but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

Like a bird that flees its nest(G)
    is anyone who flees from home.

Perfume(H) and incense bring joy to the heart,
    and the pleasantness of a friend
    springs from their heartfelt advice.

10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
    and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster(I) strikes you—
    better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;(J)
    then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.(K)

12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.(L)

13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.(M)

14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
    it will be taken as a curse.

15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping(N)
    of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
    or grasping oil with the hand.

17 As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another.

18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,(O)
    and whoever protects their master will be honored.(P)

19 As water reflects the face,
    so one’s life reflects the heart.[a]

20 Death and Destruction[b] are never satisfied,(Q)
    and neither are human eyes.(R)

21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,(S)
    but people are tested by their praise.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
    grinding them like grain with a pestle,
    you will not remove their folly from them.

23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,(T)
    give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,(U)
    and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
    and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
    and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
    and to nourish your female servants.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:19 Or so others reflect your heart back to you
  2. Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Abaddon

27 Don’t brag about tomorrow,
    for you don’t know what a day will bring.
Let another person praise you, and not your own mouth;
    a stranger, and not your own lips.
A stone is heavy and sand weighs much,
    but the nuisance of fools is heavier than both.
Wrath is cruel and anger is a flood,
    but who can withstand jealousy?
A public correction is better than hidden love.
Trustworthy are the bruises of a friend;
    excessive are the kisses of an enemy.
Someone who is full refuses honey,
    but anything bitter tastes sweet to a hungry person.
Like a bird wandering from its nest,
    so is one who wanders from home.
Oil and incense make the heart glad,
    and the sweetness of friends comes from their advice.[a]
10 Don’t desert your friend or a friend of your family;
    don’t go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes.
    Better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
11 Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad,
    so I can answer those who insult me.
12 Prudent people see evil and hide;
    the simpleminded go right to it and get punished.
13 Take the garment of the person who secures a loan for a stranger;
    take his pledge for a foreigner.
14 Greeting a neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning
    will be viewed as a curse.
15 The constant dripping on a rainy day
    and a contentious woman are alike;
16         anyone who can control her
        can control the wind
        or pick up oil in his hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens a friend.
18 Those who tend a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and those who look after their master will be honored.
19 As water reflects the face,
    so the heart reflects one person to another.
20 The grave[b] and the underworld[c] are never satisfied;
    and people’s eyes are never satisfied.
21 A crucible is for silver and a furnace for gold;
    so are people in the presence of someone who praises them.
22 Even if you grind fools in a mortar,
    even grinding them along with the grain,
    their folly won’t be driven from them.
23 Know your flock well;
    pay attention to your herds,
24         for no treasure lasts forever,
        nor a crown generation after generation.
25 When the grass goes away, new growth appears,
    and the plants of the hills are gathered,
26         then the lambs will provide your clothes,
        and the goats will be the price of your fields.
27 There will be enough goat’s milk for your food,
    for the food of your house,
    and to nourish your young women.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:9 Heb uncertain
  2. Proverbs 27:20 Heb Sheol
  3. Proverbs 27:20 Heb Abaddon

当亲近忠诚的朋友

27 不要为明日自夸,

因为今天要发生甚么事,你尚且不知道。

让外人夸奖你,不可自己夸奖自己;

让别人称赞你,不可自己称赞自己。

石头重,沙土也重,

愚妄人的怒气比这两样更重。

烈怒虽然凶残,暴怒又好象狂澜,

人还可以忍受;

但面对嫉妒,谁能站立得住呢?

坦白的责备,

胜过暗中的爱。

爱你的人加的创伤是出于忠诚;

恨你的人却与你连连亲吻。

吃饱的人连蜂房的蜜也厌恶;

饥饿的人连一切苦的东西都觉得甘甜。

离家的人到处飘泊,

好象离巢的雀鸟到处游飞一样。

膏油和香料使人心畅快,

朋友真诚的劝勉也使人觉得甘甜。

10 你的朋友和你父亲的朋友,你都不可离弃;

在你遭遇患难的日子,不可进你兄弟的家。

在附近的邻舍胜过在远方的兄弟。

11 我儿,你要作智慧人,使我的心快乐,

我也可以回答那羞辱我的。

12 精明人看见灾祸,就躲藏起来;

愚蒙人反往前走,自取祸害。

13 谁为陌生人作保证人,就拿去谁的衣服;

谁替妓女作保证人,谁就要作担保。

14 清晨起来大声为邻舍祝福的,

就等于是咒诅他。

15 下大雨的时候不断滴漏;

就像吵闹的妇人一样;

16 谁要拦阻她,就像拦阻风,

也像右手抓油。

17 铁磨铁,磨得锋利;

朋友互相切磋,才智(“才智”原文作“面”)也变得敏锐。

18 照料无花果树的,必吃树上的果子;

事奉主人的,必得尊荣。

19 水怎样映照人面,

人的心思也怎样反映其人。

20 阴间和灭亡不会满足,

人的眼目也是一样。

21 用锅炼银,用炉炼金;

人的称赞也试炼人。

22 你虽然用杵把愚妄人与碎谷一同捣在臼中,

他的愚妄还是离不了他。

23 你要清楚知道你羊群的景况,

专心照料你的牛群。

24 因为财富不是永恒的,

冠冕也不能存到万代。

25 干草割去,嫩草又出现,

山上的野草也都收集起来。

26 羊羔的毛可以给你作衣服,

山羊可以作买田地的价银。

27 山羊奶足够作你的食物,

也足够作你一家的食物,

并且足够维持你众婢女的生活。

My Son, Be Wise

27 Do(A) not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

(B)Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.

A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But (C)who is able to stand before jealousy?

(D)Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are (E)deceitful.

A satisfied soul [a]loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.

Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by [b]hearty counsel.

10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
(F)Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
(G)That I may answer him who reproaches me.

12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are (H)punished.

13 Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.

15 A (I)continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever [c]restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.

17 As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18 (J)Whoever [d]keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.

19 As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.

20 (K)Hell[e] and [f]Destruction are never full;
So (L)the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 (M)The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.

22 (N)Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23 Be diligent to know the state of your (O)flocks,
And attend to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 (P)When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:7 tramples on
  2. Proverbs 27:9 Lit. counsel of the soul
  3. Proverbs 27:16 Lit. hides
  4. Proverbs 27:18 protects or tends
  5. Proverbs 27:20 Or Sheol
  6. Proverbs 27:20 Heb. Abaddon