Proverbs 27–29

27Boast not thyself of to-morrow;

For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

²Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;

A stranger, and not thine own lips.

³A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty;

But a fool’s vexation is heavier than they both.

⁴Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming;

But who is able to stand before jealousy?

⁵Better is open rebuke

Than love that is hidden.

⁶Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

⁷The full soul loatheth a honeycomb;

But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

⁸As a bird that wandereth from her nest,

So is a man that wandereth from his place.

⁹Oil and perfume rejoice the heart;

So doth the sweetness of a man’s friend that cometh of hearty counsel.

¹⁰Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not;

And go not to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity:

Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.

¹¹My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,

That I may answer him that reproacheth me.

¹²A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself;

But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

¹³Take his garment that is surety for a stranger;

And hold him in pledge that is surety for a foreign woman.

¹⁴He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,

It shall be counted a curse to him.

¹⁵A continual dropping in a very rainy day

And a contentious woman are alike:

¹⁶He that would restrain her restraineth the wind;

And his right hand encountereth oil.

¹⁷Iron sharpeneth iron;

So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

¹⁸Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof;

And he that regardeth his master shall be honored.

¹⁹As in water face answereth to face,

So the heart of man to man.

²⁰Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;

And the eyes of man are never satisfied.

²¹The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold;

And a man is tried by his praise.

²²Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with bruised grain,

Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

²³Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks,

And look well to thy herds:

²⁴For riches are not for ever:

And doth the crown endure unto all generations?

²⁵The hay is carried, and the tender grass showeth itself,

And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.

²⁶The lambs are for thy clothing,

And the goats are the price of the field;

²⁷And there will be goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household,

And maintenance for thy maidens.

28The wicked flee when no man pursueth;

But the righteous are bold as a lion.

²For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof;

But by men of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

³A needy man that oppresseth the poor

Is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

⁴They that forsake the law praise the wicked;

But such as keep the law contend with them.

⁵Evil men understand not justice;

But they that seek Jehovah understand all things.

⁶Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity,

Than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

⁷Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son;

But he that is a companion of gluttons shameth his father.

⁸He that augmenteth his substance by interest and increase,

Gathereth it for him that hath pity on the poor.

⁹He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law,

Even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰Whoso causeth the upright to go astray in an evil way,

He shall fall himself into his own pit;

But the perfect shall inherit good.

¹¹The rich man is wise in his own conceit;

But the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great glory;

But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

¹³He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper:

But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy.

¹⁴Happy is the man that feareth alway;

But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

¹⁵As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear,

So is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor;

But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

¹⁷A man that is laden with the blood of any person

Shall flee unto the pit; let no man stay him.

¹⁸Whoso walketh uprightly shall be delivered;

But he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

¹⁹He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread;

But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

²⁰A faithful man shall abound with blessings;

But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished.

²¹To have respect of persons is not good;

Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.

²²He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches,

And knoweth not that want shall come upon him.

²³He that rebuketh a man shall afterward find more favor

Than he that flattereth with the tongue.

²⁴Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression,

The same is the companion of a destroyer.

²⁵He that is of a greedy spirit stirreth up strife;

But he that putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be made fat.

²⁶He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool;

But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

²⁷He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack;

But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

²⁸When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;

But when they perish, the righteous increase.

29He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck

Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy

²When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice;

But when a wicked man beareth rule, the people sigh.

³Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father;

But he that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance.

⁴The king by justice establisheth the land;

But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

⁵A man that flattereth his neighbor

Spreadeth a net for his steps.

⁶In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare;

But the righteous doth sing and rejoice.

⁷The righteous taketh knowledge of the cause of the poor;

The wicked hath not understanding to know it.

⁸Scoffers set a city in a flame;

But wise men turn away wrath.

⁹If a wise man hath a controversy with a foolish man,

Whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest.

¹⁰The bloodthirsty hate him that is perfect;

And as for the upright, they seek his life.

¹¹A fool uttereth all his anger;

But a wise man keepeth it back and stilleth it.

¹²If a ruler hearkeneth to falsehood,

All his servants are wicked.

¹³The poor man and the oppressor meet together;

Jehovah lighteneth the eyes of them both.

¹⁴The king that faithfully judgeth the poor,

His throne shall be established for ever.

¹⁵The rod and reproof give wisdom;

But a child left to himself causeth shame to his mother.

¹⁶When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth;

But the righteous shall look upon their fall.

¹⁷Correct thy son, and he will give thee rest;

Yea, he will give delight unto thy soul.

¹⁸Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint;

But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

¹⁹A servant will not be corrected by words;

For though he understand, he will not give heed.

²⁰Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words?

There is more hope of a fool than of him.

²¹He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child

Shall have him become a son at the last.

²²An angry man stirreth up strife,

And a wrathful man aboundeth in transgression.

²³A man’s pride shall bring him low;

But he that is of a lowly spirit shall obtain honor.

²⁴Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul;

He heareth the adjuration and uttereth nothing.

²⁵The fear of man bringeth a snare;

But whoso putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be safe.

²⁶Many seek the ruler’s favor;

But a man’s judgment cometh from Jehovah.

²⁷An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous;

And he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.