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Proverbs 27
New Catholic Bible
Proverbs 27
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 27
Dictums about Every Circumstance[a]
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you can never be certain what today may bring.[b]
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
let it come from the lips of someone else and not your own.
3 Stone is heavy and sand is a dead weight,
but heavier than both is a fool’s provocation.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming,
but who can withstand jealousy?
5 Better is an open rebuke
than concealed love.[c]
6 The blows given by a friend[d] are well meant,
but the kisses of an enemy are filled with deceit.
7 One whose appetite is sated refuses honey,
but to the man who is hungry even bitter food tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest
is anyone who is far away from home.
9 Perfume and incense gladden the heart,
and friendship’s sweetness comforts the soul.[e]
10 Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your father,
and do not run to your brother’s house when troubles befall you;
far better is a friend nearby
than a brother who is far away.
11 Acquire wisdom, my son, and gladden my heart,
so that I may rebut anyone who insults me.
12 The prudent man perceives danger and seeks shelter,
while the simple[f] continue forward and pay the penalty.
13 Take the garment of anyone who becomes surety for a stranger;
demand a pledge for persons unknown[g] to you.
14 If someone blesses his neighbor at dawn with a loud voice,
it will be reckoned to him as a curse.[h]
15 A constant dripping on a rainy day
is much like a nagging wife;[i]
16 one might as well try to restrain the wind as to control her,
or to pick up oil with one’s fingers.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so a man sharpens the wits of his neighbor.
18 Whoever tends a fig tree eats its fruit,
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.
19 Just as water reflects one’s face,
so does one human heart reflect another.[j]
20 The netherworld and the abyss[k] are never satisfied;
the same is true of human eyes.
21 As silver is tested by a crucible and gold by a furnace,
so too is a man tested by the praise he is given.
22 You may use a pestle to pound a fool into a mortar,
but his folly will never be driven out of him.
Take Good Care of Your Herds[l]
23 Be aware at all times of the condition of your flocks
and take good care of your herds.
24 For riches do not last forever,
nor will a crown endure from age to age.
25 When the grass is gone and the aftergrowth appears
and the green growth of the mountains is gathered,
26 the lambs will provide for your clothing,
and the goats will give you the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goats’ milk[m]
to feed you and your household
and to provide sustenance for your servant girls.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:1 Among these simple but striking proverbs, several evoke the cost of friendship (vv. 6-10), one in verse 13 places people on guard against surety for foreigners (see Prov 6:1-5; 20:16), and one in verse 15 brings together the pessimistic proposal about a nagging wife (see Prov 19:13).
- Proverbs 27:1 See Prov 16:9; Mt 6:34; Jas 4:13-16; see also Isa 56:12 and the words of the rich fool in Lk 12:19-20.
- Proverbs 27:5 A true friend brings out not only his friend’s virtues but also his vices, thus rendering a great service to his friend.
- Proverbs 27:6 The blows given by a friend: these are termed a “kindness” in Ps 141:5. Kisses of an enemy: see Mt 26:49.
- Proverbs 27:9 Friendship’s sweetness comforts the soul: see Prov 16:21, 24.
- Proverbs 27:12 The simple: see note on Prov 1:4.
- Proverbs 27:13 See Prov 20:16 and note. Persons unknown: Vulgate reading; the Hebrew has: “a foreign woman.”
- Proverbs 27:14 Premature praise can become an affliction (see Ps 12:3).
- Proverbs 27:15 See note on Prov 19:13.
- Proverbs 27:19 The Greek has: “As no two faces are ever alike, / unlike also are the hearts of men.”
- Proverbs 27:20 The netherworld and the abyss: see note on Job 26:6; see also Prov 15:11. Are never satisfied: see Isa 5:14. The same is true of human eyes: see Eccl 4:8.
- Proverbs 27:23 For the wisdom of the countryside, it is an art and a duty, both of prudence and humanity, to make one’s goods bear fruit.
- Proverbs 27:27 Goats’ milk: the milk of both goats and cows was drunk (see Deut 32:13-14; Isa 7:21-22).
Proverbs 27
King James Version
Proverbs 27
King James Version
27 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine 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 loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
27 And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.
Proverbs 27
English Standard Version
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
Proverbs 27
New International Version
Proverbs 27
New International Version
2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.(C)
3 Stone is heavy and sand(D) a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?(E)
5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.(F)
7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that flees its nest(G)
is anyone who flees from home.
9 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]
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
- Proverbs 27:19 Or so others reflect your heart back to you
- Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Abaddon
English Standard Version (ESV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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