Proverbs 27:17–22

17 As iron sharpens iron,

so one person sharpens another.

18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and whoever protects their master will be honored.

19 As water reflects the face,

so one’s life reflects the heart.

20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied,

and neither are human eyes.

21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,

but people are tested by their praise.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,

grinding them like grain with a pestle,

you will not remove their folly from them.

17 Iron sharpeneth iron;

So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof:

So he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

19 As in water face answereth to face,

So the heart of man to man.

20 Hell and destruction are never full;

So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold;

So is a man to his praise.

22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle,

Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

17 As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend.

18 As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit,

so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded.

19 As a face is reflected in water,

so the heart reflects the real person.

20 Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied,

so human desire is never satisfied.

21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,

but a person is tested by being praised.

22 You cannot separate fools from their foolishness,

even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle.

17 As iron sharpens iron,

So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

18 Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;

So he who waits on his master will be honored.

19 As in water face reflects face,

So a man’s heart reveals the man.

20 Hell and Destruction are never full;

So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

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

And a man is valued by what others say of him.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,

Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

17 As iron sharpens iron,

so people can improve each other.

18 Whoever tends a fig tree gets to eat its fruit,

and whoever takes care of his master will receive honor.

19 As water reflects your face,

so your mind shows what kind of person you are.

20 People will never stop dying and being destroyed,

and they will never stop wanting more than they have.

21 A hot furnace tests silver and gold,

and people are tested by the praise they receive.

22 Even if you ground up a foolish person like grain in a bowl,

you couldn’t remove the foolishness.

17 Iron sharpeneth iron;

So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

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

And he that regardeth his master shall be honored.

19 As in water face answereth to face,

So the heart of man to man.

20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;

And the eyes of man are never satisfied.

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

And a man is tried by his praise.

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

Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

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

18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that guardeth his master shall be honoured.

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

20 Sheol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.

22 If thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his folly depart from him.

17 ⸤As⸥ iron sharpens iron, 

so one person sharpens the wits of another. 

18 Whoever takes care of a fig tree can eat its fruit, 

and whoever protects his master is honored. 

19 As a face is reflected in water, 

so a person is reflected by his heart. 

20 Hell and decay are never satisfied, 

and a person’s eyes are never satisfied. 

21 The crucible is for refining silver and the smelter for gold, 

but a person ⸤is tested⸥ by the praise given to him. 

22 If you crush a stubborn fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, 

⸤even then⸥ his stupidity will not leave him. 

17 Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.

18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

19 As water reflects the face,

so the heart reflects the person.

20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,

and people’s eyes are never satisfied.

21 A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,

and a man for the words of his praise.

22 Though you grind a fool

in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,

you will not separate his foolishness from him.

17 Iron sharpens iron,

and one person sharpens the wits of another.

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

and anyone who takes care of a master will be honored.

19 Just as water reflects the face,

so one human heart reflects another.

20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,

and human eyes are never satisfied.

21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

so a person is tested by being praised.

22 Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle

along with crushed grain,

but the folly will not be driven out.

17 As iron sharpens iron,

so one man sharpens another.

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

and he who guards his master will be honored.

19 As the waters reflect face to face,

so the heart of a person reflects the person.

20 Sheol and Abaddon will not be satisfied,

and the eyes of a person will not be satisfied either.

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

but a man is tested by the mouth of him who praises him.

22 If you crush a fool in the mortar with the pestle along with the crushed grain,

it will not drive folly from upon him.

17 As iron sharpens iron,

so one person sharpens another.

18 A person who takes good care of a fig tree will eat its fruit.

And a person who looks after his master will be honored.

19 When you look into water, you see a likeness of your face.

When you look into your heart, you see what you are really like.

20 Death and the Grave are never satisfied.

A man’s eyes are never satisfied either.

21 Fire tests silver. Heat tests gold.

But a man is tested by the praise he receives.

22 You can grind a foolish person in a mill.

You can grind him as you would grind grain with a tool.

But you can’t remove his foolishness from him.

17 Iron sharpens iron,

So one man sharpens another.

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

And he who cares for his master will be honored.

19 As in water face reflects face,

So the heart of man reflects man.

20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,

Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.

21 The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,

And each is tested by the praise accorded him.

22 Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,

Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.