Proverbs 27:21–27

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.

23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,

give careful attention to your herds;

24 for riches do not endure forever,

and a crown is not secure for all generations.

25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears

and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,

and the goats with the price of a field.

27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family

and to nourish your female servants.

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.

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

And look well to thy herds.

24 For riches are not for ever:

And doth the crown endure to every generation?

25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself,

And herbs of the mountains are gathered.

26 The lambs are for thy clothing,

And the goats are the price of the field.

27 And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food,

For the food of thy household,

And for the maintenance for thy maidens.

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.

23 Know the state of your flocks,

and put your heart into caring for your herds,

24 for riches don’t last forever,

and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.

25 After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears

and the mountain grasses are gathered in,

26 your sheep will provide wool for clothing,

and your goats will provide the price of a field.

27 And you will have enough goats’ milk for yourself,

your family, and your servant girls.

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.

23 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,

And attend to your herds;

24 For riches are not forever,

Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25 When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,

And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

26 The lambs will provide your clothing,

And the goats the price of a field;

27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,

For the food of your household,

And the nourishment of your maidservants.

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.

23 Be sure you know how your sheep are doing,

and pay attention to the condition of your cattle.

24 Riches will not go on forever,

nor do governments go on forever.

25 Bring in the hay, and let the new grass appear.

Gather the grass from the hills.

26 Make clothes from the lambs’ wool,

and sell some goats to buy a field.

27 There will be plenty of goat’s milk

to feed you and your family

and to make your servant girls healthy.

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.

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

And look well to thy herds:

24 For riches are not for ever:

And doth the crown endure unto all generations?

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

And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.

26 The lambs are for thy clothing,

And the goats are the price of the field;

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

And maintenance for thy maidens.

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.

23 Be well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds: 24 for wealth is not for ever; and doth the crown endure from generation to generation? 25 The hay is removed, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered in. 26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of a field; 27 and there is goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and sustenance for thy maidens.

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. 

23 Be fully aware of the condition of your flock, 

and pay close attention to your herds. 

24 Wealth is not forever. 

Nor does a crown last from one generation to the next. 

25 ⸤When⸥ grass is cut short, the tender growth appears, 

and vegetables are gathered on the hills. 

26 Lambs ⸤will provide⸥ you with clothing, 

and the money from the male goats will buy a field. 

27 There will be enough goat milk to feed you, 

to feed your family, 

and to keep your servant girls alive. 

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.

23 Know well the condition of your flock,

and pay attention to your herds,

24 for wealth is not forever;

not even a crown lasts for all time.

25 When hay is removed and new growth appears

and the grain from the hills is gathered in,

26 lambs will provide your clothing,

and goats, the price of a field;

27 there will be enough goat’s milk for your food—

food for your household

and nourishment for your female servants.

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.

23 Know well the condition of your flocks,

and give attention to your herds,

24 for riches do not last forever,

nor a crown for all generations.

25 When the grass is gone, and new growth appears,

and the herbage of the mountains is gathered,

26 the lambs will provide your clothing,

and the goats the price of a field;

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

for the food of your household

and nourishment for your female servants.

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.

23 You will surely know the condition of your flock;

your heart attends to the herds.

24 For riches are not forever,

nor a crown for generation after generation.

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

and the herbs of the mountains will be gathered.

26 Lambs will be your clothing,

and goats the price of the field.

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

for the food of your household and the nourishment of your maidservants.

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.

23 Be sure you know how your flocks are doing.

Pay careful attention to your herds.

24 Riches don’t last forever.

And a crown is not secure for all time to come.

25 The hay is removed, and new growth appears.

The grass from the hills is gathered in.

26 Then your lambs will provide you with clothes.

And the money from selling your goats will buy you a field.

27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk.

It will feed you and your family.

It will also feed your female servants.

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.

23 Know well the condition of your flocks,

And pay attention to your herds;

24 For riches are not forever,

Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

25 When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,

And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

26 The lambs will be for your clothing,

And the goats will bring the price of a field,

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

For the food of your household,

And sustenance for your maidens.