27 Don’t boast about tomorrow,
for you don’t know what a day might bring.(A)

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—
a stranger, and not your own lips.(B)

A stone is heavy, and sand a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.

Fury is cruel, and anger a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?(C)

Better an open reprimand
than concealed love.(D)

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,(E)
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.(F)

A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,(G)
but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.

Anyone wandering from his home
is like a bird wandering from its nest.(H)

Oil(I) and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.[a]

10 Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,(J)
and don’t go to your brother’s house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.(K)

11 Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,(L)
so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.(M)

12 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;
the inexperienced keep going and are punished.(N)

13 Take his garment,
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.[b](O)

14 If one blesses his neighbor
with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted as a curse to him.

15 An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike;(P)
16 the one who controls her controls the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand.

17 Iron sharpens iron,
and one person sharpens another.[c]

18 Whoever tends a fig tree(Q) will eat its fruit,(R)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

19 As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the person.

20 Sheol and Abaddon(S) are never satisfied,(T)
and people’s eyes are never satisfied.(U)

21 As a crucible refines silver,
and a smelter refines gold,
so a person should refine his praise.(V)

22 Though you grind a fool
in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,
you will not separate his foolishness from him.(W)

23 Know well the condition of your flock,(X)
and pay attention to your herds,
24 for wealth is not forever;(Y)
not even a crown lasts for all time.
25 When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
26 lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goat’s milk for your food—
food for your household
and nourishment for your female servants.(Z)

Footnotes

  1. 27:9 LXX reads heart, but the soul is torn up by affliction
  2. 27:13 Lit a foreign woman
  3. 27:17 Lit and a man sharpens his friend’s face

27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
    (A)for you do not know what a day may bring.
Let (B)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
    a stranger, and not your own lips.
A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
    but (C)a fool's provocation is heavier than both.
Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
    but who can stand before (D)jealousy?
(E)Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.
Faithful are (F)the wounds of a friend;
    profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
One who is full loathes (G)honey,
    but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
Like (H)a bird that strays from its nest
    is a man who strays from his home.
(I)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
    and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.[a]
10 Do not forsake your friend and (J)your father's friend,
    and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity.
(K)Better is a neighbor who is near
    than a brother who is far away.
11 (L)Be wise, (M)my son, and (N)make my heart glad,
    that I may (O)answer him who reproaches me.
12 (P)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
    but (Q)the simple go on and suffer for it.
13 (R)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.[b]
14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
    rising early in the morning,
    will be counted as cursing.
15 (S)A continual dripping on a rainy day
    and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
    or to grasp[c] oil in one's right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
    and one man sharpens another.[d]
18 (T)Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and he who (U)guards his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
    so the heart of man reflects the man.
20 (V)Sheol and Abaddon are (W)never satisfied,
    and (X)never satisfied are the eyes of man.
21 (Y)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    and a man is tested by his praise.
22 (Z)Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
    along with crushed grain,
    yet his folly will not depart from him.

23 (AA)Know well the condition of your flocks,
    and (AB)give attention to your herds,
24 for (AC)riches do not last forever;
    and does a crown endure to all generations?
25 (AD)When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
    and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26 (AE)the lambs will provide your clothing,
    and the goats the price of a field.
27 (AF)There will be enough goats' milk for your food,
    for the food of your household
    and maintenance for your girls.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:9 Or and so does the sweetness of a friend that comes from his earnest counsel
  2. Proverbs 27:13 Hebrew a foreign woman; a slight emendation yields (compare Vulgate; see also 20:16) foreigners
  3. Proverbs 27:16 Hebrew to meet with
  4. Proverbs 27:17 Hebrew sharpens the face of another