Warnings and Instructions

27 (A)Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you (B)do not know what a day may bring forth.
Let (C)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But (D)who can stand before jealousy?
Better is (E)open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
Faithful are the (F)wounds of a friend,
But [a]deceitful are the (G)kisses of an enemy.
A sated [b]man [c]loathes honey,
But to a famished [d]man any bitter thing is sweet.
Like a (H)bird that wanders from her nest,
So is a man who (I)wanders from his [e]home.
(J)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
So a [f]man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not forsake your own (K)friend or (L)your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
11 (M)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
That I may (N)reply to him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The [g]naive proceed and pay the penalty.
13 (O)Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for an [h]adulterous woman hold him in pledge.
14 (P)He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be reckoned a curse to him.
15 A (Q)constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 He who would [i]restrain her [j]restrains the wind,
And [k]grasps oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.
18 He who tends the (R)fig tree will eat its fruit,
And he who (S)cares for his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So the heart of man reflects man.
20 [l](T)Sheol and [m]Abaddon are (U)never satisfied,
Nor are the (V)eyes of man ever satisfied.
21 The (W)crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And each (X)is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Though you (Y)pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23 (Z)Know well the [n]condition of your flocks,
And pay attention to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a (AA)crown endure to all generations.
25 When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,
And the herbs of the mountains are (AB)gathered in,
26 The lambs will be for your clothing,
And the goats will bring the price of a field,
27 And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your maidens.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:6 Or excessive
  2. Proverbs 27:7 Lit soul
  3. Proverbs 27:7 Lit tramples on
  4. Proverbs 27:7 Lit soul
  5. Proverbs 27:8 Lit place
  6. Proverbs 27:9 Lit soul’s
  7. Proverbs 27:12 Lit simple
  8. Proverbs 27:13 Lit strange
  9. Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
  10. Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
  11. Proverbs 27:16 Lit encounters
  12. Proverbs 27:20 I.e. The nether world
  13. Proverbs 27:20 I.e. the place of destruction
  14. Proverbs 27:23 Lit face

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