Chapter 27

Many have sinned for a small matter; and he that seeketh for abundance will turn his eyes away.

²As a nail sticketh fast between the joinings of the stones; so doth sin stick close between buying and selling.

³Unless a man hold himself diligently in the fear of the Lord, his house shall soon be overthrown.

⁴As when one sifteth with a sieve, the refuse remaineth; so the filth of man in his talk.

⁵The furnace proveth the potter's vessels; so the trial of man is in his reasoning.

⁶The fruit declareth if the tree have been dressed; so is the utterance of a conceit in the heart of man.

⁷Praise no man before thou hearest him speak; for this is the trial of men.

⁸If thou followest righteousness, thou shalt obtain her, and put her on, as a glorious long robe.

⁹The birds will resort unto their like; so will truth return unto them that practise in her.

¹⁰As the lion lieth in wait for the prey; so sin for them that work iniquity.

¹¹The discourse of a godly man is always with wisdom; but a fool changeth as the moon.

¹²If thou be among the indiscreet, observe the time; but be continually among men of understanding.

¹³The discourse of fools is irksome, and their sport is the wantonness of sin.

¹⁴The talk of him that sweareth much maketh the hair stand upright; and their brawls make one stop his ears.

¹⁵The strife of the proud is bloodshedding, and their revilings are grievous to the ear.

¹⁶Whoso discovereth secrets loseth his credit; and shall never find friend to his mind.

¹⁷Love thy friend, and be faithful unto him: but if thou betrayest his secrets, follow no more after him.

¹⁸For as a man hath destroyed his enemy; so hast thou lost the love of thy neighbor.

¹⁹As one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy neighbour go, and shalt not get him again

²⁰Follow after him no more, for he is too far off; he is as a roe escaped out of the snare.

²¹As for a wound, it may be bound up; and after reviling there may be reconcilement: but he that betrayeth secrets is without hope.

²²He that winketh with the eyes worketh evil: and he that knoweth him will depart from him.

²³When thou art present, he will speak sweetly, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and slander thy sayings.

²⁴I have hated many things, but nothing like him; for the Lord will hate him.

²⁵Whoso casteth a stone on high casteth it on his own head; and a deceitful stroke shall make wounds.

²⁶Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that setteth a trap shall be taken therein.

²⁷He that worketh mischief, it shall fall upon him, and he shall not know whence it cometh.

²⁸Mockery and reproach are from the proud; but vengeance, as a lion, shall lie in wait for them.

²⁹They that rejoice at the fall of the righteous shall be taken in the snare; and anguish shall consume them before they die.

³⁰Malice and wrath, even these are abominations; and the sinful man shall have them both.