Proverbs 27
Evangelical Heritage Version
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,
because you do not know what a day may produce.
2 Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—
a stranger, not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is a burden,
but aggravation from a stubborn fool is heavier than both.
4 Cruel wrath and a flood of anger are devastating,
but who can stand up against jealousy?
5 Open correction is better than concealed love.
6 Wounds from someone who loves you can be trusted,
but the kisses of someone who hates you are too much.[a]
7 A satisfied appetite refuses honey,
but to a hungry appetite, everything bitter tastes sweet.
8 A person who wanders from his place
is like a bird that wanders from its nest.
9 Olive oil and incense bring joy to a heart,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere advice.[b]
10 Do not abandon your friend or your father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you.
A neighbor who is near is better than a brother who is far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart,
so that I may answer anyone who taunts me.
12 A sensible person sees trouble and hides,
but naïve people keep going and pay the penalty.
13 Take the garment of someone who guarantees a loan for a stranger.
Keep it when someone pledges it on behalf of an immoral woman.
14 When someone blesses his neighbor in a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be regarded as a curse.
15 Constantly dripping water on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike.
16 Trying to hold her back is like holding back the wind,
like grasping oil with your right hand.[c]
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and a man sharpens the insight of his friend.
18 A person who tends a fig tree eats its fruit,
and a person who takes care of his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects a person’s face,
so a person’s heart reflects the person.
20 Death and Destruction[d] are never satisfied,
and a person’s eyes are never satisfied.
21 A crucible is for refining silver and a smelter is for gold,
and a person is tested by his praise.[e]
22 Even if you grind a stubborn fool
like grain with a mortar and pestle,
his stupidity will not leave him.
23 Be certain that you know the condition of your flock very well.
Pay attention to your herds,
24 because wealth is not forever,
nor does a crown pass from generation to generation.
25 The hay is removed and new growth appears,
and grass from the mountains is gathered in.
26 Lambs provide wool for your clothing,
and the price of the field can be earned from the goats.
27 What’s more, there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for your household’s food,
and to maintain the life of your servant girls.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:6 Or are deceitful
- Proverbs 27:9 Or is better than your own advice
- Proverbs 27:16 The verse is difficult. Literally it reads those who hide her hide the wind, and he calls his right hand oil.
- Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Sheol and Abaddon
- Proverbs 27:21 His praise is either the praise he gives or the praise he receives
Proverbs 27
Lexham English Bible
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,[a]
for you do not know what the day will bring.
2 May another praise you and not your own mouth,
a stranger and not your own lips.
3 Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand,
but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
4 Cruel is wrath and overwhelming is anger,
but who will stand before jealousy?
5 Better a rebuke that is open
than a love that is hidden.
6 The wounds of a friend mean well,
but the kisses of an enemy are profane.
7 An appetite[b] that is sated spurns honey,
but to an appetite[c] that is ravenous, all bitterness is sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest,
so is a man who strays from his place.
9 Perfume and incense will gladden a heart,
and the pleasantness of one’s friend is personal advice.[d]
10 As for your friend and a friend of your father, do not forsake them,
and the house of your brother, do not enter on the day of your calamity.
Better is a close neighbor than a distant brother.
11 Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad,
and I will answer him who reproaches me with a word.
12 When the clever sees danger, he hides;
the simple go on and suffer.
13 Take his garment, for he gives surety to a stranger,
and to an adulteress[e]—so take his pledge.
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice
early in the morning,
a curse will be reckoned to him.
15 Dripping constantly on a day of heavy rain
and a woman[f] of contention are alike.
16 In restraining her, he restrains wind,[g]
and his right hand will grasp oil[h].
17 As iron sharpens[i] iron,
so one man sharpens another.[j]
18 He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who guards his master[k] will be honored.
19 As the waters reflect face to face,[l]
so the heart of a person reflects the person.
20 Sheol[m] and Abaddon[n] will not be satisfied,
and the eyes of a person will not be satisfied either.
21 A crucible is for the silver, and a furnace for the gold,
but a man is tested by the mouth of him who praises him.
22 If you crush a fool in the mortar with the pestle along with[o] the crushed grain,
it will not drive folly from upon him.
23 You will surely know the condition[p] of your flock;
your heart[q] attends to the herds.
24 For riches are not forever,
nor a crown for generation after generation.
25 When the grass is gone, then green growth will appear,
and the herbs of the mountains will be gathered.
26 Lambs will be your clothing,
and goats the price of the field.
27 And there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for the food of your household and the nourishment[r] of your maidservants.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:1 Literally “on the day of tomorrow”
- Proverbs 27:7 Literally “soul”
- Proverbs 27:7 Literally “soul”
- Proverbs 27:9 Literally “because of advice of a person”
- Proverbs 27:13 Literally “a foreign woman”
- Proverbs 27:15 Or “wife”
- Proverbs 27:16 Or “breath, or “spirit”
- Proverbs 27:16 Or “fat”
- Proverbs 27:17 Or “is united with”
- Proverbs 27:17 Literally “a man sharpens the faces of his friend”
- Proverbs 27:18 Or “lord”
- Proverbs 27:19 Literally “the faces to the faces”
- Proverbs 27:20 A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld
- Proverbs 27:20 Poetic synonym for “Sheol.” Only mentioned in the ot in relation to Sheol, the grave, or death.
- Proverbs 27:22 Or “in the midst of”
- Proverbs 27:23 Literally “faces”
- Proverbs 27:23 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 27:27 Literally “life”
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
New King James Version
My Son, Be Wise
27 Do(A) not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 (B)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 weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But (C)who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 (D)Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are (E)deceitful.
7 A satisfied soul [a]loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by [b]hearty counsel.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
(F)Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
(G)That I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are (H)punished.
13 Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
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 (I)continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever [c]restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 (J)Whoever [d]keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.
21 (M)The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.
22 (N)Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Be diligent to know the state of your (O)flocks,
And attend to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 (P)When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:7 tramples on
- Proverbs 27:9 Lit. counsel of the soul
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit. hides
- Proverbs 27:18 protects or tends
- Proverbs 27:20 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 27:20 Heb. Abaddon
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
