Proverbs 27
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
27 Boast not for to morrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.
4 Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?
5 Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.
7 A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that leaveth his place.
9 Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.
10 Thy own friend, and thy father's friend forsake not: and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy affliction. Better is a neighbour that is near, than a brother afar off.
11 Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.
12 The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.
13 Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.
14 He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.
15 Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.
16 He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call in the oil of his right hand.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.
19 As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so-the hearts of men are laid open to the wise.
20 Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied.
21 As silver is tried in the fining-pot and gold in the furnace: so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth. The heart of the wicked seeketh after evils, but the righteous heart seeketh after knowledge.
22 Though thou shouldst bray a fool in the mortar, as when a pestle striketh upon sodden barley, his folly would not be taken from him.
23 Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:
24 For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.
25 The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.
26 Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.
27 Let the milk of the goats be enough for thy food, and for the necessities of thy house, and for maintenance for thy handmaids.
Proverbs 27
English Standard Version
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
(A)for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let (B)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
but (C)a fool's provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
but who can stand before (D)jealousy?
5 (E)Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Faithful are (F)the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
7 One who is full loathes (G)honey,
but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
8 Like (H)a bird that strays from its nest
is a man who strays from his home.
9 (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
- Proverbs 27:9 Or and so does the sweetness of a friend that comes from his earnest counsel
- Proverbs 27:13 Hebrew a foreign woman; a slight emendation yields (compare Vulgate; see also 20:16) foreigners
- Proverbs 27:16 Hebrew to meet with
- Proverbs 27:17 Hebrew sharpens the face of another
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
