Warnings and Instructions

27 (A)Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you (B)do not know what a day may bring.
Let (C)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But (D)who can stand before jealousy?
Better is (E)open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
Faithful are the (F)wounds of a friend,
But [a]deceitful are the (G)kisses of an enemy.
A satisfied [b]person [c]despises honey,
But to a hungry [d]person any bitter thing is sweet.
Like a (H)bird that wanders from its nest,
So is a person who (I)wanders from his [e]home.
(J)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
And a [f]person’s advice is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not abandon your (K)friend or (L)your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house on the day of your disaster;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
11 (M)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
So that I may (N)reply to one who taunts me.
12 A prudent person sees evil and hides himself;
But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
13 (O)Take his garment when he becomes a guarantor for a stranger;
And for a foreign woman seize a pledge from him.
14 (P)One who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be considered a curse to him.
15 A (Q)constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 He who would [g]restrain her [h]restrains the wind,
And [i]grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So one person sharpens another.
18 One who tends the (R)fig tree will eat its fruit,
And one who (S)cares for his master will be honored.
19 As in water a face reflects the face,
So the heart of a person reflects the person.
20 [j](T)Sheol and [k]Abaddon are (U)never satisfied,
Nor are the (V)eyes of a person ever satisfied.
21 The (W)crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And each (X)is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Though you (Y)pound the fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
His foolishness still will not leave him.

23 (Z)Know well the [l]condition of your flocks,
And pay attention to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a (AA)crown endure to all generations.
25 When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,
And the herbs of the mountains are (AB)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 enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your attendants.

Warnings and Instructions

28 The wicked (AC)flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are [m]bold as a lion.
Due to a [n]wrongdoing of [o]a land its leaders are (AD)many,
But (AE)by a person of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.
A (AF)poor man who oppresses the helpless
Is like a driving rain [p]which leaves no food.
Those who abandon the Law (AG)praise the wicked,
But those who keep the Law (AH)strive against them.
Evil people (AI)do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord (AJ)understand everything.
(AK)Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity,
Than a person who is [q]crooked, though he is rich.
He who keeps the Law is a discerning son,
But he who is a companion of (AL)gluttons humiliates his father.
One who increases his wealth by [r](AM)interest of any kind,
Collects it (AN)for one who is gracious to the poor.
One who turns his ear away from listening to the Law,
Even his (AO)prayer is an abomination.
10 One who leads the upright astray in an evil way
Will (AP)himself fall into his own pit,
But the (AQ)blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich person is (AR)wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding [s]sees through him.
12 When the (AS)righteous triumph, there is great glory,
But (AT)when the wicked rise, people [t]hide themselves.
13 One who (AU)conceals his wrongdoings will not prosper,
But one who (AV)confesses and abandons them will find compassion.
14 How blessed is the person who (AW)fears always,
But one who (AX)hardens his heart will fall into disaster.
15 Like a (AY)roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a (AZ)wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A (BA)leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But a person who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 A person who is (BB)burdened with the guilt of human blood
Will [u]be a fugitive until death; no one is to support him!
18 One who walks blamelessly will receive help,
But one who is [v](BC)crooked will fall all at once.
19 (BD)One who works his land will (BE)have plenty of food,
But one who follows empty pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A (BF)faithful person will abound with blessings,
But one who (BG)hurries to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To [w](BH)show partiality is not good,
(BI)Because for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A person with an (BJ)evil eye (BK)hurries after wealth
And does not know that poverty will come upon him.
23 One who (BL)rebukes a person will afterward find more favor
Than one who (BM)flatters with the tongue.
24 He who (BN)robs his father or his mother
And says, “There is no wrong done,”
Is the (BO)companion of a person who destroys.
25 An [x]arrogant person (BP)stirs up strife,
But one who (BQ)trusts in the Lord (BR)will [y]prosper.
26 One who (BS)trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But one who walks wisely will flee to safety.
27 One who (BT)gives to the poor will never lack anything,
But one who [z]shuts his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked rise, people hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.

Warnings and Instructions

29 A person [aa]often (BU)rebuked who [ab]becomes obstinate
Will (BV)suddenly be broken [ac]beyond remedy.
When the (BW)righteous [ad]increase, the people rejoice,
But when a wicked person rules, people groan.
A man who (BX)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who (BY)involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.
The (BZ)king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a person who takes bribes ruins it.
A man who (CA)flatters his neighbor
Is spreading a net for his steps.
By wrongdoing an evil person is (CB)ensnared,
But the righteous (CC)sings and rejoices.
The (CD)righteous [ae]is concerned for the rights of the poor;
The wicked does not understand such [af]concern.
Arrogant people (CE)inflame a city,
But (CF)wise people turn away anger.
When a wise person has a controversy with a foolish person,
[ag]The foolish person either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.
10 People of (CG)bloodshed hate the blameless person,
But the upright [ah]are concerned for his life.
11 A (CH)fool [ai]always loses his temper,
But a (CI)wise person holds it back.
12 If a (CJ)ruler pays attention to falsehood,
All his ministers become wicked.
13 The (CK)poor person and the oppressor [aj]have this in common:
The Lord gives (CL)light to the eyes of both.
14 If a (CM)king judges the poor with truth,
His (CN)throne will be established forever.
15 The (CO)rod and a rebuke give wisdom,
But a child [ak]who gets his own way (CP)brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked [al]increase, wrongdoing increases;
But the (CQ)righteous will see their downfall.
17 (CR)Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also [am](CS)delight your soul.
18 Where there is (CT)no [an]vision, the people (CU)are unrestrained,
But (CV)happy is one who keeps the Law.
19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
For though he understands, there will be no response.
20 Do you see a person who is (CW)hasty with his words?
There is (CX)more hope for a fool than for him.
21 One who pampers his slave from childhood
Will in the end find him to be rebellious.
22 An (CY)angry person stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered person abounds in wrongdoing.
23 A person’s (CZ)pride will bring him low,
But a (DA)humble spirit will obtain honor.
24 One who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He (DB)hears the oath but tells nothing.
25 The (DC)fear of man [ao]brings a snare,
But one who (DD)trusts in the Lord will be protected.
26 (DE)Many seek the ruler’s [ap]favor,
But (DF)justice for mankind comes from the Lord.
27 An (DG)unjust person is an abomination to the righteous,
And one who is (DH)upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:6 Or excessive
  2. Proverbs 27:7 Lit soul
  3. Proverbs 27:7 Lit tramples on
  4. Proverbs 27:7 Lit soul
  5. Proverbs 27:8 Lit place
  6. Proverbs 27:9 Lit soul’s
  7. Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
  8. Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
  9. Proverbs 27:16 Lit encounters
  10. Proverbs 27:20 I.e., The netherworld
  11. Proverbs 27:20 I.e., the place of destruction
  12. Proverbs 27:23 Lit face
  13. Proverbs 28:1 Lit confident
  14. Proverbs 28:2 Or rebellion
  15. Proverbs 28:2 I.e., the people of a land
  16. Proverbs 28:3 Lit and there is no bread
  17. Proverbs 28:6 Lit perverse of two ways
  18. Proverbs 28:8 Possibly interest on money and food loans
  19. Proverbs 28:11 Lit examines him
  20. Proverbs 28:12 Lit will be searched for
  21. Proverbs 28:17 Lit flee to the pit
  22. Proverbs 28:18 Lit perverse of two ways
  23. Proverbs 28:21 Lit regard the face
  24. Proverbs 28:25 Lit broad soul
  25. Proverbs 28:25 Lit be made fat
  26. Proverbs 28:27 Lit hides
  27. Proverbs 29:1 Lit of rebukes who
  28. Proverbs 29:1 Lit hardens his neck
  29. Proverbs 29:1 Lit and there is no remedy
  30. Proverbs 29:2 Or become great
  31. Proverbs 29:7 Lit knows the cause
  32. Proverbs 29:7 Lit knowledge
  33. Proverbs 29:9 Lit He
  34. Proverbs 29:10 Lit seek his soul
  35. Proverbs 29:11 Lit sends forth all his spirit
  36. Proverbs 29:13 Lit meet together
  37. Proverbs 29:15 Lit left to himself
  38. Proverbs 29:16 Or become great
  39. Proverbs 29:17 Lit give delight to
  40. Proverbs 29:18 Or revelation
  41. Proverbs 29:25 Lit gives
  42. Proverbs 29:26 Lit face

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