Proverbs 27-29

Common English Bible

27 Don’t brag about tomorrow,
    for you don’t know what a day will bring.
² Let another person praise you, and not your own mouth;
    a stranger, and not your own lips.
³ A stone is heavy and sand weighs much,
    but the nuisance of fools is heavier than both.
⁴ Wrath is cruel and anger is a flood,
    but who can withstand jealousy?
⁵ A public correction is better than hidden love.
⁶ Trustworthy are the bruises of a friend;
    excessive are the kisses of an enemy.
⁷ Someone who is full refuses honey,
    but anything bitter tastes sweet to a hungry person.
⁸ Like a bird wandering from its nest,
    so is one who wanders from home.
⁹ Oil and incense make the heart glad,
    and the sweetness of friends comes from their advice.^[a]
10 Don’t desert your friend or a friend of your family;
    don’t go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes.
    Better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
¹¹ Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad,
    so I can answer those who insult me.
¹² Prudent people see evil and hide;
    the simpleminded go right to it and get punished.
¹³ Take the garment of the person who secures a loan for a stranger;
    take his pledge for a foreigner.
¹⁴ Greeting a neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning
    will be viewed as a curse.
¹⁵ The constant dripping on a rainy day
    and a contentious woman are alike;
¹⁶         anyone who can control her
        can control the wind
        or pick up oil in his hand.
¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens a friend.
¹⁸ Those who tend a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and those who look after their master will be honored.
¹⁹ As water reflects the face,
    so the heart reflects one person to another.
²⁰ The grave^[b] and the underworld^[c] are never satisfied;
    and people’s eyes are never satisfied.
²¹ A crucible is for silver and a furnace for gold;
    so are people in the presence of someone who praises them.
²² Even if you grind fools in a mortar,
    even grinding them along with the grain,
    their folly won’t be driven from them.
²³ Know your flock well;
    pay attention to your herds,
²⁴         for no treasure lasts forever,
        nor a crown generation after generation.
²⁵ When the grass goes away, new growth appears,
    and the plants of the hills are gathered,
²⁶         then the lambs will provide your clothes,
        and the goats will be the price of your fields.
²⁷ There will be enough goat’s milk for your food,
    for the food of your house,
    and to nourish your young women.

28 The wicked run away even though no one pursues them,
    but the righteous are as confident as a lion.
² When a land rebels, there are many leaders;
    but a person with understanding brings order.
³ Poor people who oppress the needy
    are rain that washes away food.
⁴ Those who abandon Instruction praise the wicked,
    but those who follow Instruction battle them.
⁵ Evil people don’t understand justice,
    but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
⁶ Better to be poor and walk in innocence
    than to be on crooked paths and wealthy.
⁷ Intelligent children follow Instruction,
    but those who befriend gluttons shame their parents.
⁸ Those who become rich through high interest rates
    gather money for those who are generous to the poor.
⁹ Those who turn their ears from hearing Instruction—
    even their prayers will be detested.
¹⁰ Whoever misleads those who do right onto an evil path
    will fall into their own pit,
    but the blameless will inherit good things.
¹¹ Rich people think they are wise,
    but an insightful poor person sees through them.
¹² When the righteous rejoice, there is great respect,
    but people hide when the wicked prosper.
¹³ Those who hide their sins won’t succeed,
    but those who confess and give them up will receive mercy.
¹⁴ Happy are those who are continually fearful,
    but those whose hearts are hard fall into trouble.
¹⁵ A wicked ruler over the poor
    is like a growling lion or a prowling bear.
¹⁶ A prince without understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but one who hates unjust gain will live long.
¹⁷ If someone feels guilty about murder,
    don’t hold them back from fleeing to the pit.
¹⁸ Those who walk in innocence will be saved,
    but those who go on twisted paths will fall into the grave.
¹⁹ Those who work the land will have plenty to eat,
    but those with worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
²⁰ Reliable people will have abundant blessings,
    but those with get-rich-quick schemes won’t go unpunished.
²¹ Those who show favoritism aren’t good;
    people do wrong for a crust of bread.
²² The stingy try to get rich fast,
    unaware that loss will come to them.
²³ Those who correct someone will, in the end, find more favor
    than those with flattering tongues.
²⁴ Those who steal from their father and mother,
    and say, “It’s not a crime,”
    are friends of vandals.
²⁵ Greedy people stir up conflict,
    but those who trust the Lord become prosperous.
²⁶ Those who trust in their own reasoning are fools,
    but those who walk in wisdom will be kept safe.
²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
    but those who turn a blind eye will be greatly cursed.
²⁸ When the wicked rise up, people hide,
    but when they are destroyed, the righteous multiply.

29 One who stays stubborn after many corrections
    will be suddenly broken, beyond healing.
² When the righteous become numerous, the people rejoice,
    but when the wicked dominate, the people moan.
³ A man who loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
    but one who spends time with prostitutes destroys riches.
⁴ A king gives stability to the land by justice,
    but one who imposes heavy taxes tears it down.
⁵ People who flatter their friends
    spread out a net for their feet.
⁶ The wicked are snared by their own sin;^[d]
    the righteous sing and rejoice.
⁷ The righteous know the rights of the poor,
    but the wicked don’t understand.
⁸ Mockers set a city on fire,
    but the wise turn back anger.
⁹ When the wise make a legal charge against the foolish,
    the fools shout, they laugh—there is no calm.
¹⁰ Murderous people hate the innocent,
    and they seek the lives of the virtuous.
¹¹ Fools show all their anger,
    but the wise hold it back.
¹² If a ruler listens to lies,
    those who serve him will be wicked.
¹³ The poor and their oppressors have a common bond—
    the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
¹⁴ If a king judges the poor honestly,
    his throne will be established forever.
¹⁵ The rod and correction lead to wisdom,
    but children out of control shame their mothers.
¹⁶ When the wicked become numerous, so do crimes;
    the righteous will see their downfall.
¹⁷ Instruct your children; they will give you peace of mind
    and bring delight into your life.
¹⁸ When there’s no vision, the people get out of control,
    but whoever obeys instruction is happy.
¹⁹ Servants aren’t disciplined by words;
    they might understand, but they don’t respond.
²⁰ Do you see people who are quick to speak?
    There is more hope for fools than for them.
²¹ Pamper servants from a young age,
    and later on there will be trouble.
²² Angry people stir up conflict;
    hotheads cause much offense.
²³ Pride lays people low,
    but those of humble spirit gain honor.
²⁴ Those who share plunder with thieves hate themselves;
    even under oath, they don’t testify.
²⁵ People are trapped by their fear of others;
    those who trust the Lord are secure.
²⁶ Many seek access to the ruler,
    but justice comes from the Lord.
²⁷ The unjust person is disgusting to the righteous;
    the straight path is disgusting to the wicked.