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27. Proverbs of Solomon

¹ Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.

² Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.

³ Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

⁴ Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?

⁵ Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.

⁶ Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.

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
is anyone who flees from home.

    ⁹ Perfume 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 strikes you—
   better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

¹¹ Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

¹² The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

¹³ Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

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
   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,
and whoever protects their master will be honored.

¹⁹ As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart. Or so others reflect your heart back to you

²⁰ Death and Destruction Hebrew Abaddon are never satisfied,
and neither are human eyes.

²¹ The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
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,
   give careful attention to your herds;
²⁴ for riches do not endure forever,
   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.

Pr 27:1-27.

1. Do not confide implicitly in your plans (Pr 16:9; 19:21; Jas 4:13-15).

2. Avoid self-praise.

3. heavy—The literal sense of "heavy," applied to material subjects, illustrates its figurative, "grievous," applied to moral.

a fool's wrath—is unreasonable and excessive.

4. envy—or, "jealousy" (compare Margin; Pr 6:34), is more unappeasable than the simpler bad passions.

5, 6. secret love—not manifested in acts is useless; and even, if its exhibition by rebukes wounds us, such love is preferable to the frequent (compare Margin), and hence deceitful, kisses of an enemy.

7. The luxury of wealth confers less happiness than the healthy appetite of labor.

8. Such are not only out of place, but out of duty and in danger.

9. rejoice the heart—the organ of perceiving what pleases the senses.

sweetness … counsel—or, "wise counsel is also pleasing."

10. Adhere to tried friends. The ties of blood may be less reliable than those of genuine friendship.

11. The wisdom of children both reflects credit on parents and contributes to their aid in difficulties.

12, 13. (Compare Pr 20:16; 22:3).

14. Excessive zeal in praising raises suspicions of selfishness.

15. (Compare Pr 19:13).

very … day—literally, "a day of showers."

16. hideth—or, "restrains" (that is, tries to do it); is as fruitless an effort, as that of holding the wind.

the ointment of his right hand—the organ of power (Ps 17:7; 18:35). His right hand endeavors to repress perfume, but vainly. Some prefer: "His right hand comes on oil," that is, "cannot take hold." Such a woman cannot be tamed.

17. a man sharpeneth … friend—that is, conversation promotes intelligence, which the face exhibits.

18. Diligence secures a reward, even for the humble servant.

19. We may see our characters in the developed tempers of others.

20. Men's cupidity is as insatiable as the grave.

21. Praise tests character.

a man to his praise—according to his praise, as he bears it. Thus vain men seek it, weak men are inflated by it, wise men disregard it, &c.

22. The obstinate wickedness of such is incurable by the heaviest inflictions.

23, 24. flocks—constituted the staple of wealth. It is only by care and diligence that the most solid possessions can be perpetuated (Pr 23:5).

25-27. The fact that providential arrangements furnish the means of competence to those who properly use them is another motive to diligence (compare Ps 65:9-13).

The hay appeareth—literally, "Grass appeareth" (Job 40:15; Ps 104:14).

27. household—literally, "house," the family (Ac 16:15; 1Co 1:16).