27 Don’t boast about tomorrow,
for you don’t know what a day might bring.(A)
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—
a stranger, and not your own lips.(B)
3 A stone is heavy, and sand a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
4 Fury is cruel, and anger a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?(C)
5 Better an open reprimand
than concealed love.(D)
6 The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,(E)
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.(F)
7 A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,(G)
but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Anyone wandering from his home
is like a bird wandering from its nest.(H)
9 Oil(I) and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.[a]
10 Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,(J)
and don’t go to your brother’s house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.(K)
11 Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,(L)
so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.(M)
12 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;
the inexperienced keep going and are punished.(N)
13 Take his garment,
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.[b](O)
14 If one blesses his neighbor
with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted as a curse to him.
15 An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike;(P)
16 the one who controls her controls the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and one person sharpens another.[c]
18 Whoever tends a fig tree(Q) will eat its fruit,(R)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the person.
20 Sheol and Abaddon(S) are never satisfied,(T)
and people’s eyes are never satisfied.(U)
21 As a crucible refines silver,
and a smelter refines gold,
so a person should refine his praise.(V)
22 Though you grind a fool
in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,
you will not separate his foolishness from him.(W)
23 Know well the condition of your flock,(X)
and pay attention to your herds,
24 for wealth is not forever;(Y)
not even a crown lasts for all time.
25 When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
26 lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goat’s milk for your food—
food for your household
and nourishment for your female servants.(Z)
Footnotes
- 27:9 LXX reads heart, but the soul is torn up by affliction
- 27:13 Lit a foreign woman
- 27:17 Lit and a man sharpens his friend’s face
Cross references
- 27:1 : Lk 12:19–20; Jms 4:13–14
- 27:2 : Pr 25:27; 2Co 10:12,18; 12:11
- 27:4 : Pr 6:34
- 27:5 : Pr 28:23
- 27:6 : Ps 141:5
- 27:6 : Lk 22:48
- 27:7 : Pr 25:16
- 27:8 : Pr 26:2
- 27:9 : Ps 23:5
- 27:10 : 2Sm 10:2
- 27:10 : Pr 17:17
- 27:11 : Pr 10:1; 23:24–25; 29:3
- 27:11 : Ps 119:42; 127:5
- 27:12 : Pr 22:3
- 27:13 : Pr 6:1–5; 11:15; 20:16
- 27:15 : Pr 19:13
- 27:18 : Am 7:14
- 27:18 : Sg 8:12; 1Co 3:8; 9:7; 2Tm 2:6
- 27:20 : Jb 26:6; Pr 15:11
- 27:20 : Pr 30:15–16; Hab 2:5
- 27:20 : Ec 1:8; 4:8
- 27:21 : Pr 16:2; 17:3
- 27:22 : Pr 23:35; 26:11; Jr 5:3
- 27:23 : Ezk 34:12; Jn 10:3,14; Ac 20:28
- 27:24 : Lk 16:9
- 27:27 : Pr 31:15