Proverbs 27
World English Bible
27 Don’t boast about tomorrow;
for you don’t know what a day may bring.
2 Let another man praise you,
and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy,
and sand is a burden;
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel,
and anger is overwhelming;
but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 The wounds of a friend are faithful,
although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 A full soul loathes a honeycomb;
but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wanders from her nest,
so is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart;
so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
10 Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend.
Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster.
A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother.
11 Be wise, my son,
and bring joy to my heart,
then I can answer my tormentor.
12 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge;
but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger.
Hold it for a wayward woman!
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 A continual dropping on a rainy day
and a contentious wife are alike:
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind,
or like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron;
so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit.
He who looks after his master shall be honored.
19 Like water reflects a face,
so a man’s heart reflects the man.
20 Sheol[a] and Abaddon are never satisfied;
and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.
21 The crucible is for silver,
and the furnace for gold;
but man is refined by his praise.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,
yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Know well the state of your flocks,
and pay attention to your herds:
24 for riches are not forever,
nor does the crown endure to all generations.
25 The hay is removed, and the new growth appears,
the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 The lambs are for your clothing,
and the goats are the price of a field.
27 There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food,
for your family’s food,
and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
Footnotes
- 27:20 Sheol is the place of the dead.
Proverbs 27
Modern English Version
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous,
but who is able to stand before envy?
5 Open rebuke is better
than secret love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 The full soul loathes a honeycomb,
but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wanders from her nest,
so is a man who wanders from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart,
so does the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
nor go into your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
for better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far off.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
that I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself,
but the simple pass on and are punished.
13 Take his garment that is security for a stranger,
and take a pledge of him for an adulterous woman.
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 continual dripping on a very rainy day
and a contentious woman are alike;
16 whoever restrains her restrains the wind,
and grasps oil in his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
so he who waits on his master will be honored.
19 As in water face answers to face,
so the heart of man to man.
20 Death and destruction are never full;
so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 As the refining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold,
so is a man to his praise.
22 Though you should grind a fool in a mortar
among wheat with a pestle,
yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
and look well to your herds;
24 for riches are not forever,
nor does the crown endure to every generation.
25 The hay appears, and the tender grass shows itself,
and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 The lambs are for your clothing,
and the goats are the price of the field.
27 You will have goats’ milk enough
for your food, for the food of your household,
and for the maintenance of your maidens.
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.