27:1 Do not boast¹ about tomorrow,²
For you do not know³ what a day may bring forth.
27:2 Let another⁴ praise you, and not your own mouth;⁵
someone else, and not your own lips.
27:3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
but vexation⁶ by a fool is heavier⁷ than the two of them.
27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming,⁸
but who can stand before jealousy?⁹
27:5 Open¹⁰ rebuke is better
than hidden¹¹ love.
27:6 Faithful¹² are the wounds of a friend
but the kisses¹³ of an enemy are excessive.¹⁴
27:7 The one whose appetite¹⁵ is satisfied loathes honey,
but to the hungry mouth¹⁶ every bitter thing is sweet.
27:8 As a bird that wanders¹⁷ from its nest,
so is a person who wanders from his place.¹⁸
27:9 Ointment and incense make the heart rejoice¹⁹
and the sweetness of one’s friend from sincere counsel.²⁰
27:10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father,
and do not enter the house of your brother in the day of your disaster;
a neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away.²¹
27:11 Be wise, my child,²² and make my heart glad,
so that I may answer²³ anyone who taunts me.²⁴
27:12 A shrewd person sees evil and hides himself,
but the simple pass on and pay for it.²⁵
27:13 Take his garment that is security for a stranger
and hold him in pledge that is surety for strangers.²⁶
27:14 If someone blesses²⁷ his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning,²⁸
it will be counted as a curse to him.²⁹
27:15 A continual dripping on a rainy day
and a contentious wife³⁰ are alike.³¹
27:16 Whoever hides her hides the wind³²
or grasping³³ oil with his right hand.³⁴
27:17 As³⁵ iron sharpens³⁶ iron,
so one person³⁷ sharpens his friend.³⁸.
27:18 The one who tends a fig tree³⁹ shall eat its fruit,⁴⁰
and whoever takes care of⁴¹ his master shall be honored.
27:19 As in water the face is reflected as a face,⁴²
so a person’s heart⁴³ reflects the person.
27:20 As⁴⁴ Death and Destruction⁴⁵ are never satisfied,⁴⁶
so the eyes of a person⁴⁷ are never satisfied.⁴⁸
27:21 As the crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,⁴⁹
so a person⁵⁰ is proved⁵¹ by the praise he receives.⁵²
27:22 If you should pound⁵³ the fool in the mortar,
among the grain⁵⁴ with the pestle,
his foolishness would not depart from him.⁵⁵
27:23 You must be very familiar with⁵⁶ the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention⁵⁷ to your herds;
27:24 for riches do not last⁵⁸ forever,
neither does a crown last⁵⁹ from generation to generation.
27:25 When the hay is removed and new grass appears,
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
27:26 the lambs will be for your clothing,
and the goats will be for the price of a field.⁶⁰
27:27 And there shall be enough goat’s milk for your food,⁶¹
for the food of your household,
and for the maintenance⁶² of your servant girls.