Proverbs 27
New American Standard Bible
Warnings and Instructions
27 (A)Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you (B)do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let (C)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But (D)who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is (E)open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the (F)wounds of a friend,
But [a]deceitful are the (G)kisses of an enemy.
7 A satisfied [b]person [c]despises honey,
But to a hungry [d]person any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a (H)bird that wanders from its nest,
So is a person who (I)wanders from his [e]home.
9 (J)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
And a [f]person’s advice is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not abandon your (K)friend or (L)your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house on the day of your disaster;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
11 (M)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
So that I may (N)reply to one who taunts me.
12 A prudent person sees evil and hides himself;
But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
13 (O)Take his garment when he becomes a guarantor for a stranger;
And for a foreign woman seize a pledge from him.
14 (P)One who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be considered 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 [g]restrain her [h]restrains the wind,
And [i]grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So one person sharpens another.
18 One who tends the (R)fig tree will eat its fruit,
And one who (S)cares for his master will be honored.
19 As in water a face reflects the face,
So the heart of a person reflects the person.
20 [j](T)Sheol and [k]Abaddon are (U)never satisfied,
Nor are the (V)eyes of a person 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 the fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
His foolishness still will not leave him.
23 (Z)Know well the [l]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 enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your attendants.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:6 Or excessive
- Proverbs 27:7 Lit soul
- Proverbs 27:7 Lit tramples on
- Proverbs 27:7 Lit soul
- Proverbs 27:8 Lit place
- Proverbs 27:9 Lit soul’s
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit encounters
- Proverbs 27:20 I.e., The netherworld
- Proverbs 27:20 I.e., the place of destruction
- Proverbs 27:23 Lit face
Proverbs 27
Common English Bible
27 Don’t brag about tomorrow,
for you don’t know what a day will bring.
2 Let another person praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand weighs much,
but the nuisance of fools is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger is a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?
5 A public correction is better than hidden love.
6 Trustworthy are the bruises of a friend;
excessive are the kisses of an enemy.
7 Someone who is full refuses honey,
but anything bitter tastes sweet to a hungry person.
8 Like a bird wandering from its nest,
so is one who wanders from home.
9 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
- Proverbs 27:9 Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 27:20 Heb Sheol
- Proverbs 27:20 Heb Abaddon
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