Proverbs 27:1–17

Don’t boast about tomorrow,

for you don’t know what a day might bring.^e

²Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—

a stranger, and not your own lips.^f

³A stone is heavy, and sand a burden,

but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.

⁴Fury is cruel, and anger a flood,

but who can withstand jealousy?^g

⁵Better an open reprimand

than concealed love.^h

⁶The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,ⁱ

but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.^j

⁷A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,^k

but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.

⁸Anyone wandering from his home

is like a bird wandering from its nest.^l

⁹Oil^m and incense bring joy to the heart,

and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.^C

¹⁰Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,ⁿ

and don’t go to your brother’s house

in your time of calamity;

better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.^o

¹¹Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,^p

so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.^q

¹²A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;

the inexperienced keep going and are punished.^r

¹³Take his garment,

for he has put up security for a stranger;

get collateral if it is for foreigners.^As

¹⁴If one blesses his neighbor

with a loud voice early in the morning,

it will be counted as a curse to him.

¹⁵An endless dripping on a rainy day

and a nagging wife are alike;^t

¹⁶the one who controls her controls the wind

and grasps oil with his right hand.

¹⁷Iron sharpens iron,

and one person sharpens another.^B