Proverbs 27:1–17

Don’t boast about tomorrow,

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

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

a stranger, and not your own lips. ^q

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? ^r

⁵Better an open reprimand

than concealed love. ^s

⁶The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, ^t

but the kisses of an enemy are excessive. ^u

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

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

⁸A man wandering from his home

is like a bird wandering from its nest. ^w

⁹Oil ^xand incense bring joy to the heart,

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

¹⁰Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend, ^z

and don’t go to your brother’s house

in your time of calamity;

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

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

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

¹²A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;

the inexperienced keep going and are punished. ^d

¹³Take his garment, ^e

for he has put up security for a stranger;

get collateral if it is for foreigners. ^fg

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. ^h

¹⁶The one who controls her controls the wind

and grasps oil with his right hand.

¹⁷Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another. ⁱ