Proverbs 27–29

Chapter 27

Boast not for to morrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.

²Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy own lips.

³A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.

⁴Anger hath no mercy: nor fury, when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?

⁵Open rebuke is better than hidden love.

⁶Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.

⁷A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.

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

⁹Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.

¹⁰Thy own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not: and go not into thy brother’s house in the day of thy affliction. Better is a neighbour that is near than a brother afar off.

¹¹Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.

¹²The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.

¹³Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.

¹⁴He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.

¹⁵Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.

¹⁶He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call the oil of his right hand.

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

¹⁸He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.

¹⁹As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so the hearts of men are laid open to the wise.

²⁰Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied.

²¹As silver is tried in the fining-pot, and gold in the furnace: so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth. The heart of the wicked seeketh after evils, but the righteous heart seeketh after knowledge.

²²Though thou shouldst bray a fool in the mortar, as when a pestle striketh upon sodden barley, his folly would not be taken from him.

²³Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:

²⁴For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.

²⁵The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.

²⁶Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.

²⁷Let the milk of the goats be enough for thy food, and for the necessities of thy house, and for maintenance for thy handmaids.

Chapter 28

The wicked man fleeth, when no man pursueth: but the just, bold as a lion, shall be without dread.

²For the sins of the land many are the princes thereof: and for the wisdom of a man, and the knowledge of those things that are said, the life of the prince shall be prolonged.

³A poor man that oppresseth the poor, is like a violent shower, which bringeth a famine.

⁴They that forsake the law, praise the wicked man: they that keep it, are incensed against him.

⁵Evil men think not on judgment: but they that seek after the Lord, take notice of all things.

⁶Better is the poor man walking in his simplicity, than the rich in crooked ways.

⁷He that keepeth the law, is a wise son: but he that feedeth gluttons, shameth his father.

⁸He that heapeth together riches by usury and loan, gathereth them for him that will be bountiful to the poor.

⁹He that turneth away his ears from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination.

¹⁰He that deceiveth the just in a wicked way, shall fall in his own destruction: and the upright shall possess his goods.

¹¹The rich man seemeth to himself wise: but the poor man that is prudent shall search him out.

¹²In the joy of the just there is great glory: when the wicked reign, men are ruined.

¹³He that hideth his sins, shall not prosper: but he that shall confess, and forsake them, shall obtain mercy.

¹⁴Blessed is the man that is always fearful: but he that is hardened in mind shall fall into evil.

¹⁵As a roaring lion, and a hungry bear, so is a wicked prince over the poor people.

¹⁶A prince void of prudence shall oppress many by calumny: but he that hateth covetousness, shall prolong his days.

¹⁷A man that doth violence to the blood of a person, if he flee even to the pit, no man will stay him.

¹⁸He that walketh uprightly, shall be saved: he that is perverse in his ways, shall fall at once.

¹⁹He that tilleth his ground, shall be filled with bread: but he that followeth idleness, shall be filled with poverty.

²⁰A faithful man shall be much praised: but he that maketh haste to be rich, shall not be innocent.

²¹He that hath respect to a person in judgment, doth not well: such a man even for a morsel of bread forsaketh the truth.

²²A man that maketh haste to be rich, and envieth others, is ignorant that poverty shall come upon him.

²³He that rebuketh a man, shall afterward find favour with him, more than he that by a flattering tongue deceiveth him.

²⁴He that stealeth any thing from his father, or from his mother: and saith, This is no sin, is the partner of a murderer.

²⁵He that boasteth and puffeth up himself, stirreth up quarrels: but he that trusteth in the Lord, shall be healed.

²⁶He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool: but he that walketh wisely, he shall be saved.

²⁷He that giveth to the poor shall not want: he that despiseth his intreaty, shall suffer indigence.

²⁸When the wicked rise up, men shall hide themselves: when they perish, the just shall be multiplied.

Chapter 29

The man that with a stiff neck despiseth him that reproveth him, shall suddenly be destroyed: and health shall not follow him.

²When just men increase, the people shall rejoice: when the wicked shall bear rule, the people shall mourn.

³A man that loveth wisdom, rejoiceth his father: but he that maintaineth harlots, shall squander away his substance.

⁴A just king setteth up the land: a covetous man shall destroy it.

⁵A man that speaketh to his friend with flattering and dissembling words, spreadeth a net for his feet.

⁶A snare shall entangle the wicked man when he sinneth: and the just shall praise and rejoice.

⁷The just taketh notice of the cause of the poor: the wicked is void of knowledge.

⁸Corrupt men bring a city to ruin: but wise men turn away wrath.

⁹If a wise man contend with a fool, whether he be angry, or laugh, he shall find no rest.

¹⁰Bloodthirsty men hate the upright: but just men seek his soul.

¹¹A fool uttereth all his mind: a wise man deferreth, and keepeth it till afterwards.

¹²A prince that gladly heareth lying words, hath all his servants wicked.

¹³The poor man and the creditor have met one another: the Lord is the enlightener of them both.

¹⁴The king that judgeth the poor in truth, his throne shall be established for ever.

¹⁵The rod and reproof give wisdom: but the child that is left to his own will, bringeth his mother to shame.

¹⁶When the wicked are multiplied, crimes shall be multiplied: but the just shall see their downfall.

¹⁷Instruct thy son and he shall refresh thee, and shall give delight to thy soul.

¹⁸When prophecy shall fail, the people shall be scattered abroad: but he that keepeth the law, is blessed.

¹⁹A slave will not be corrected by words: because he understandeth what thou sayest, and will not answer.

²⁰Hast thou seen a man hasty to speak? folly is rather to be looked for, than his amendment.

²¹He that nourisheth his servant delicately from his childhood, afterwards shall find him stubborn.

²²A passionate man provoketh quarrels: and he that is easily stirred up to wrath, shall be more prone to sin.

²³Humiliation followeth the proud: and glory shall uphold the humble of spirit.

²⁴He that is partaker with a thief, hateth his own soul: he heareth one putting him to his oath, and discovereth not.

²⁵He that feareth man shall quickly fall: he that trusteth in the Lord, shall be set on high.

²⁶Many seek the face of the prince: but the judgment of every one cometh forth from the Lord.

²⁷The just abhor a wicked man: and the wicked loathe them that are in the right way. The son that keepeth the word, shall be free from destruction.