Proverbs 27

¹Do not boast about tomorrow,[#Literally “on the day of tomorrow”]

²May another praise you and not your own mouth,

³Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand,

⁴Cruel is wrath and overwhelming is anger,

⁵Better a rebuke that is open

⁶The wounds of a friend mean well,

⁷An appetite that is sated spurns honey,[#Literally “soul”]

⁸Like a bird that strays from its nest,

⁹Perfume and incense will gladden a heart,

¹⁰As for your friend and a friend of your father, do not forsake them,

¹¹Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad,

¹²When the clever sees danger, he hides;

¹³Take his garment, for he gives surety to a stranger,

¹⁴He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice

¹⁵Dripping constantly on a day of heavy rain

¹⁶In restraining her, he restrains wind,[#Or “breath, or “spirit”]

¹⁷As iron sharpens iron,[#Or “is united with”]

¹⁸He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

¹⁹As the waters reflect face to face,[#Literally “the faces to the faces”]

²⁰Sheol and Abaddon will not be satisfied,[#A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld; #Poetic synonym for “Sheol.” Only mentioned in the ot in relation to Sheol, the grave, or death.]

²¹A crucible is for the silver, and a furnace for the gold,

²²If you crush a fool in the mortar with the pestle along with the crushed grain,[#Or “in the midst of”]

²³You will surely know the condition of your flock;[#Literally “faces”]

²⁴For riches are not forever,

²⁵When the grass is gone, then green growth will appear,

²⁶Lambs will be your clothing,

²⁷And there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,