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Proverbs 27

Don't boast about tomorrow, because you don't know what a day may bring. Let another person praise you, not your own mouth; a stranger, not your own lips. A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but a fool's anger is heavier than both. fury is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

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Iron sharpens iron

Don't boast about tomorrow, because you don't know what a day may bring. Let another person praise you, not your own mouth; a stranger, not your own lips. A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but a fool's anger is heavier than both. fury is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. A full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing tastes sweet. Like a bird wandering from her nest is a man wandering from his place. Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and so does the sweetness of a friend's heartfelt counsel. Don't abandon your own friend or your father's friend. And don't run to your brother's house in the day of trouble; a nearby neighbour is better than a brother far away. My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so I can answer the one who reproaches me. A sensible man sees danger and hides himself, but the simple keep going and are punished. Take his garment if he has guaranteed a stranger's debt, and hold it as security when he pledges himself for a strange woman. Whoever loudly blesses his friend early in the morning will have it counted as a curse. A continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. Whoever tries to hide her is trying to hide the wind, and the ointment of his right hand gives itself away. Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, one man sharpens another. Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; whoever waits on his master will be honoured. As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man. Hell and destruction are never full, and the eyes of man are never satisfied. The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, and a man is tested by his praise. Though you grind a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, his foolishness will not depart from him.

Don't boast about tomorrow, because you don't know what a day will bring out. Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth — a stranger, and not your own lips. A stone is heavy and the sand weighs a lot, but a fool's anger is heavier than both. Anger is cruel and fury is a flood, but who can stand in front of jealousy? Open telling-off is better than hidden love. The wounds of a mate are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are plenty. The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. Like a bird that wanders from her nest, that's what a man is who wanders from his place. Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and so does the sweetness of a man's mate by hearty counsel. Don't leave your own mate or your father's mate, and don't go into your brother's house on the day of your trouble. Because a neighbour close by is better than a brother far off. My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so I can answer the one who insults me. A careful man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple go on and are punished. Take his garment when he goes surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for a strange woman. The one who blesses his mate with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning — it'll be counted a curse to him. A dripping that never stops on a very rainy day and a fighting woman are alike. Whoever hides her hides the wind, and the ointment of his right hand gives itself away. Iron sharpens iron. That's how a man sharpens the face of his mate. Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit. So the one who waits on his master will be honoured. Like in water face answers face, that's how the heart of man answers man. The grave and destruction are never full. That's how the eyes of man are never satisfied. Like the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold, that's how a man is tested by his praise. Though you'd pound a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, still his folly won't go from him.

Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place. Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel. 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. My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished. Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him. A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself. Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured. As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise. Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

1

Don't boast about tomorrow, because you don't know what a day may bring.

Plain English

Don't boast about tomorrow, because you don't know what a day will bring out.

King James Version, 1611

Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2

Let another person praise you, not your own mouth; a stranger, not your own lips.

Plain English

Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth — a stranger, and not your own lips.

King James Version, 1611

Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

3

A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but a fool's anger is heavier than both.

Plain English

A stone is heavy and the sand weighs a lot, but a fool's anger is heavier than both.

King James Version, 1611

A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.

4

fury is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

Plain English

Anger is cruel and fury is a flood, but who can stand in front of jealousy?

King James Version, 1611

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

5

Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Plain English

Open telling-off is better than hidden love.

King James Version, 1611

Open rebuke is better than secret love.

6

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Plain English

The wounds of a mate are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are plenty.

King James Version, 1611

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7

A full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing tastes sweet.

Plain English

The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

King James Version, 1611

The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8

Like a bird wandering from her nest is a man wandering from his place.

Plain English

Like a bird that wanders from her nest, that's what a man is who wanders from his place.

King James Version, 1611

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

9

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and so does the sweetness of a friend's heartfelt counsel.

Plain English

Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and so does the sweetness of a man's mate by hearty counsel.

King James Version, 1611

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.

10

Don't abandon your own friend or your father's friend. And don't run to your brother's house in the day of trouble; a nearby neighbour is better than a brother far away.

Plain English

Don't leave your own mate or your father's mate, and don't go into your brother's house on the day of your trouble. Because a neighbour close by is better than a brother far off.

King James Version, 1611

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, so I can answer the one who reproaches me.

Plain English

My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so I can answer the one who insults me.

King James Version, 1611

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

12

A sensible man sees danger and hides himself, but the simple keep going and are punished.

Plain English

A careful man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple go on and are punished.

King James Version, 1611

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

13

Take his garment if he has guaranteed a stranger's debt, and hold it as security when he pledges himself for a strange woman.

Plain English

Take his garment when he goes surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for a strange woman.

King James Version, 1611

Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

14

Whoever loudly blesses his friend early in the morning will have it counted as a curse.

Plain English

The one who blesses his mate with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning — it'll be counted a curse to him.

King James Version, 1611

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 dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

Plain English

A dripping that never stops on a very rainy day and a fighting woman are alike.

King James Version, 1611

A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

16

Whoever tries to hide her is trying to hide the wind, and the ointment of his right hand gives itself away.

Plain English

Whoever hides her hides the wind, and the ointment of his right hand gives itself away.

King James Version, 1611

Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.

17

Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, one man sharpens another.

Plain English

Iron sharpens iron. That's how a man sharpens the face of his mate.

King James Version, 1611

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

18

Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; whoever waits on his master will be honoured.

Plain English

Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit. So the one who waits on his master will be honoured.

King James Version, 1611

Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

19

As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.

Plain English

Like in water face answers face, that's how the heart of man answers man.

King James Version, 1611

As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

20

Hell and destruction are never full, and the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Plain English

The grave and destruction are never full. That's how the eyes of man are never satisfied.

King James Version, 1611

Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.

Plain English

Like the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold, that's how a man is tested by his praise.

King James Version, 1611

As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.

22

Though you grind a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, his foolishness will not depart from him.

Plain English

Though you'd pound a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, still his folly won't go from him.

King James Version, 1611

Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

Look well to your flocks

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds. Riches don't last forever, and neither does a crown endure through every generation. The hay appears, the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs provide your clothing, and the goats provide the price of the field. You'll have enough goats' milk for your food, for your household's food and for the maintenance of your young women.

Look well to the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds. Because riches aren't forever, and does a crown last to every generation? The hay is gone and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And you'll have goats' milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and for the life of your servant girls.

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

23

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds.

Plain English

Look well to the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds.

King James Version, 1611

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

24

Riches don't last forever, and neither does a crown endure through every generation.

Plain English

Because riches aren't forever, and does a crown last to every generation?

King James Version, 1611

For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

25

The hay appears, the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered.

Plain English

The hay is gone and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered.

King James Version, 1611

The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

26

The lambs provide your clothing, and the goats provide the price of the field.

Plain English

The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

King James Version, 1611

The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

27

You'll have enough goats' milk for your food, for your household's food and for the maintenance of your young women.

Plain English

And you'll have goats' milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and for the life of your servant girls.

King James Version, 1611

And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.