Proverbs, 27

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

1. Do not feel confident about tomorrow since you do not know how today will end.

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

2. Let another praise you but not your own mouth; a stranger but not your own lips.

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

3. Heavy the stone and weighty the sand but the fool's anger outweighs both.

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

4. Wrath is cruel and anger, impulsive but who can withstand jealousy?

5. Open rebuke [is] better than secret love.

5. Better an honest rebuke than false affection.

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

6. Worthy of trust is the friend who speaks honestly; the enemy is he who multiplies caresses.

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

7. The full mouth looks down on honey, the hungry one finds any bitter thing sweet.

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

8. Like a bird far from its nest, so is the one who wanders from his own place.

9. Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

9. Oil and perfume gladden the heart; so too does the sweetness of friendship comfort the soul.

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.

10. Never desert your friend or your father's friend; do not hasten to your brother's house when troubles strike: better a friend nearby than a brother far away.

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

11. Learn to be wise, my son, and make me happy so that I can reply to those who insult me.

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

12. The discerning man foresees danger and takes cover, but fools keep going, to their own loss.

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

13. Get rid of his clothes since he has gone surety for a stranger, seize him for the benefit of those unknown.

14. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

14. If he, at dawn, blesses his neighbor in a loud voice, it shall be interpreted as a curse.

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

15. The constant dripping of a gutter on a rainy day and a nagging woman have something in common.

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

16. Stopping her is like stopping the wind and grasping oil in one's hand.

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

17. Iron is sharpened with iron, contact with a neighbor sharpens a man's wit.

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

18. He who tends the fig tree eats its fruit, he who looks after his master will be honored.

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

19. As the face is reflected in water, so man finds himself in his own heart.

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

20. Death and hell are never satisfied; so, also, the eyes of men.

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

21. A crucible for silver, a furnace for gold; you will know a man by his reputation.

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

22. Even though you grind the fool in a mortar, you will not rid him of his stupidity.

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

23. Know well the state of your herd and tend to your flock

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

24. because wealth does not last forever and riches are not handed down from generation to generation.

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

25. Once the pasture is mowed and the aftergrowth appears and the hay is gathered in from the hills,

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

26. you should have lambs to clothe you and goats to pay for your fields,

27. And [thou shalt have] goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens.

27. sufficient goats' milk to feed you, to sustain your household and provide for your serving girls.