Day 169 - Proverbs 27-29

Proverbs 27

¹ Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

² Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
someone else, and not your own lips.

³ Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but provocation by a fool is heavier than both.

⁴ Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?

⁵ Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.

⁶ Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.

⁷ He who is full loathes honey,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

⁸ Like a bird that strays from its nest
is a man who strays from his home.

⁹ Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.

¹⁰ Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father,
and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

¹¹ Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

¹² The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

¹³ Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.

¹⁴ If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.

¹⁵ A quarrelsome wife is like
a constant dripping on a rainy day;

¹⁶ restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.

¹⁸ He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who looks after his master will be honored.

¹⁹ As water reflects a face,
so a man's heart reflects the man.

²⁰ Death and Destruction ^a]">[a] are never satisfied,
and neither are the eyes of man.

²¹ The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but man is tested by the praise he receives.

²² Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding him like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove his folly from him.

²³ Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;

²⁴ for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.

²⁵ When the hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

²⁶ the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.

²⁷ You will have plenty of goats' milk
to feed you and your family
and to nourish your servant girls.

Proverbs 28

¹ The wicked man flees though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

² When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.

³ A ruler ^b]">[b] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

⁴ Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law resist them.

⁵ Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

⁶ Better a poor man whose walk is blameless
than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

⁷ He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

⁸ He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest
amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

⁹ If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law,
even his prayers are detestable.

¹⁰ He who leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into his own trap,
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

¹¹ A rich man may be wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.

¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.

¹³ He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

¹⁴ Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD,
but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people.

¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment,
but he who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life.

¹⁷ A man tormented by the guilt of murder
will be a fugitive till death;
let no one support him.

¹⁸ He whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall.

¹⁹ He who works his land will have abundant food,
but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

²⁰ A faithful man will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

²¹ To show partiality is not good—
yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

²² A stingy man is eager to get rich
and is unaware that poverty awaits him.

²³ He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor
than he who has a flattering tongue.

²⁴ He who robs his father or mother
and says, "It's not wrong"—
he is partner to him who destroys.

²⁵ A greedy man stirs up dissension,
but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.

²⁶ He who trusts in himself is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

²⁷ He who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

²⁸ When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.

Proverbs 29

¹ A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

² When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.

³ A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

⁴ By justice a king gives a country stability,
but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down.

⁵ Whoever flatters his neighbor
is spreading a net for his feet.

⁶ An evil man is snared by his own sin,
but a righteous one can sing and be glad.

⁷ The righteous care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked have no such concern.

⁸ Mockers stir up a city,
but wise men turn away anger.

⁹ If a wise man goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

¹⁰ Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.

¹¹ A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise man keeps himself under control.

¹² If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.

¹³ The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.

¹⁴ If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will always be secure.

¹⁵ The rod of correction imparts wisdom,
but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

¹⁶ When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.

¹⁷ Discipline your son, and he will give you peace;
he will bring delight to your soul.

¹⁸ Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
but blessed is he who keeps the law.

¹⁹ A servant cannot be corrected by mere words;
though he understands, he will not respond.

²⁰ Do you see a man who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

²¹ If a man pampers his servant from youth,
he will bring grief ^c]">[c] in the end.

²² An angry man stirs up dissension,
and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

²³ A man's pride brings him low,
but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

²⁴ The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy;
he is put under oath and dare not testify.

²⁵ Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

²⁶ Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the LORD that man gets justice.

²⁷ The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Sheol and Abaddon
2. Proverbs 28:3 Or A poor man
3. Proverbs 29:21 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.