Proverbs 27–29

27TH CHAPTER

All about Life

¹Do not brag about tomorrow, 

because you do not know what another day may bring. 

²Praise should come from another person and not from your own mouth, 

from a stranger and not from your own lips. 

³A stone is heavy, and sand weighs a lot, 

but annoyance caused by a stubborn fool is heavier than both. 

⁴Anger is cruel, and fury is overwhelming, 

but who can survive jealousy? 

⁵Open criticism is better than unexpressed love. 

⁶Wounds made by a friend are intended to help, 

but an enemy’s kisses are too much to bear. 

⁷One who is full despises honey, 

but to one who is hungry, 

even bitter food tastes sweet. 

⁸Like a bird wandering from its nest, 

so is a husband wandering from his home. 

⁹Perfume and incense make the heart glad, 

but the sweetness of a friend is a fragrant forest.^b

¹⁰Do not abandon your friend or your father’s friend. 

Do not go to a relative’s home when you are in trouble. 

A neighbor living nearby is better than a relative far away. 

¹¹Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad 

so that I can answer anyone who criticizes me. 

¹²Sensible people foresee trouble and hide. 

Gullible people go ahead ⸤and⸥ suffer. 

¹³Hold on to the garment of one who guarantees a stranger’s loan, 

and hold responsible the person 

who makes a loan in behalf of a foreigner. 

¹⁴Whoever blesses his friend early in the morning with a loud voice— 

his blessing is considered a curse. 

¹⁵Constantly dripping water on a rainy day is like a quarreling woman. 

¹⁶Whoever can control her can control the wind. 

He can even pick up olive oil with his right hand. 

¹⁷⸤As⸥ iron sharpens iron, 

so one person sharpens the wits of another. 

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

and whoever protects his master is honored. 

¹⁹As a face is reflected in water, 

so a person is reflected by his heart. 

²⁰Hell and decay are never satisfied, 

and a person’s eyes are never satisfied. 

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

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

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

⸤even then⸥ his stupidity will not leave him. 

²³Be fully aware of the condition of your flock, 

and pay close attention to your herds. 

²⁴Wealth 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. 

²⁶Lambs ⸤will provide⸥ you with clothing, 

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

²⁷There will be enough goat milk to feed you, 

to feed your family, 

and to keep your servant girls alive. 

28TH CHAPTER

¹A wicked person flees when no one is chasing him, 

but righteous people are as bold as lions. 

²When a country is in revolt, it has many rulers, 

but only with a person who has understanding and knowledge 

will it last a long time. 

³A poor person who oppresses poorer people 

is like a driving rain that leaves no food. 

⁴Those who abandon ⸤God’s⸥ teachings praise wicked people, 

but those who follow ⸤God’s⸥ teachings oppose wicked people. 

⁵Evil people do not understand justice, 

but those who seek the Lord understand everything. 

⁶Better to be a poor person who has integrity 

than to be rich and double-dealing. 

⁷Whoever follows ⸤God’s⸥ teachings is a wise son. 

Whoever associates with gluttons disgraces his father. 

⁸Whoever becomes wealthy through ⸤unfair⸥ loans and interest 

collects them for the one who is kind to the poor. 

⁹Surely the prayer of someone who refuses 

to listen to ⸤God’s⸥ teachings is disgusting. 

¹⁰Whoever leads decent people into evil will fall into his own pit, 

but innocent people will inherit good things. 

¹¹A rich person is wise in his own eyes, 

but a poor person with understanding sees right through him. 

¹²When righteous people triumph, there is great glory, 

but when wicked people rise, people hide themselves. 

¹³Whoever covers over his sins does not prosper. 

Whoever confesses and abandons them receives compassion. 

¹⁴Blessed is the one who is always fearful ⸤of sin⸥, 

but whoever is hard-hearted falls into disaster. 

¹⁵⸤Like⸥ a roaring lion and a charging bear, 

⸤so⸥ a wicked ruler is a threat to poor people. 

¹⁶A leader without understanding taxes ⸤his people⸥ heavily, 

but those who hate unjust gain will live longer. 

¹⁷A person burdened with the guilt of murder 

will be a fugitive down to his grave. 

No one will help him. 

¹⁸Whoever lives honestly will be safe. 

Whoever lives dishonestly will fall all at once. 

¹⁹Whoever works his land will have plenty to eat. 

Whoever chases unrealistic dreams will have plenty of nothing. 

²⁰A trustworthy person has many blessings, 

but anyone in a hurry to get rich will not escape punishment. 

²¹Showing partiality is not good, 

because some people will turn on you even for a piece of bread. 

²²A stingy person is in a hurry to get rich, 

not realizing that poverty is about to overtake him. 

²³Whoever criticizes people will be more highly regarded in the future 

than the one who flatters with his tongue. 

²⁴The one who robs his father or his mother 

and says, “It isn’t wrong!” is a companion to a vandal. 

²⁵A greedy person stirs up a fight, 

but whoever trusts the Lord prospers. 

²⁶Whoever trusts his own heart is a fool. 

Whoever walks in wisdom will survive. 

²⁷Whoever gives to the poor lacks nothing. 

Whoever ignores the poor receives many curses. 

²⁸When wicked people rise, people hide. 

When they die, righteous people increase. 

29TH CHAPTER

¹A person who will not bend after many warnings 

will suddenly be broken beyond repair. 

²When righteous people increase, the people ⸤of God⸥ rejoice, 

but when a wicked person rules, everybody groans. 

³A person who loves wisdom makes his father happy, 

but one who pays prostitutes wastes his wealth. 

⁴By means of justice, a king builds up a country, 

but a person who confiscates religious contributions tears it down. 

⁵A person who flatters his neighbor 

is spreading a net for him to step into. 

⁶To an evil person sin is bait in a trap, 

but a righteous person runs away from itand is glad. 

⁷A righteous person knows the just cause of the poor. 

A wicked person does not understand this. 

⁸Mockers create an uproar in a city, 

but wise people turn away anger. 

⁹When a wise person goes to court with a stubborn fool, 

he may rant and rave, 

but there is no peace and quiet. 

¹⁰Bloodthirsty people hate an innocent person, 

but decent people seek ⸤to protect⸥ his life. 

¹¹A fool expresses all his emotions, 

but a wise person controls them. 

¹²If a ruler pays attention to lies, 

all his servants become wicked. 

¹³A poor person and an oppressor have this in common: 

The Lord gives both of them sight. 

¹⁴When a king judges the poor with honesty, 

his throne will always be secure. 

¹⁵A spanking and a warning produce wisdom, 

but an undisciplined child disgraces his mother. 

¹⁶When wicked people increase, crime increases, 

but righteous people will witness their downfall. 

¹⁷Correct your son, and he will give you peace of mind. 

He will bring delight to your soul. 

¹⁸Without prophetic vision people run wild, 

but blessed are those who follow ⸤God’s⸥ teachings. 

¹⁹A slave cannot be disciplined with words. 

He will not respond, though he may understand. 

²⁰Have you met a person who is quick to answer? 

There is more hope for a fool than for him. 

²¹Pamper a slave from childhood, 

and later he will be ungrateful. 

²²An angry person stirs up a fight, 

and a hothead does much wrong. 

²³A person’s pride will humiliate him, 

but a humble spirit gains honor. 

²⁴Whoever is a thief’s partner hates his own life. 

He will not testify under oath. 

²⁵A person’s fear sets a trap ⸤for him⸥, 

but one who trusts the Lord is safe. 

²⁶Many seek an audience with a ruler, 

but justice for humanity comes from the Lord. 

²⁷An unjust person is disgusting to righteous people. 

A decent person is disgusting to wicked people.