Proverbs 27-29

New International Version

27 Do not boast^(A) about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.^(B)

² Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
    an outsider, and not your own lips.^(C)

³ Stone is heavy and sand^(D) a burden,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

⁴ Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
    but who can stand before jealousy?^(E)

⁵ Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.

⁶ Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
    but an enemy multiplies kisses.^(F)

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

⁸ Like a bird that flees its nest^(G)
    is anyone who flees from home.

⁹ Perfume^(H) and incense bring joy to the heart,
    and the pleasantness of a friend
    springs from their heartfelt advice.

¹⁰ Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
    and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster^(I) strikes you—
    better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

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

¹² The prudent see danger and take refuge,
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.^(L)

¹³ Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.^(M)

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

¹⁵ A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping^(N)
    of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
¹⁶ restraining her is like restraining the wind
    or grasping oil with the hand.

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

¹⁸ The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,^(O)
    and whoever protects their master will be honored.^(P)

¹⁹ As water reflects the face,
    so one’s life reflects the heart.^[a]

²⁰ Death and Destruction^[b] are never satisfied,^(Q)
    and neither are human eyes.^(R)

²¹ The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,^(S)
    but people are tested by their praise.

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

²³ Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,^(T)
    give careful attention to your herds;
²⁴ for riches do not endure forever,^(U)
    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 your family
    and to nourish your female servants.

28 The wicked flee^(V) though no one pursues,^(W)
    but the righteous are as bold as a lion.^(X)

² When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
    but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

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

⁴ Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
    but those who heed it resist them.

⁵ Evildoers do not understand what is right,
    but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than the rich whose ways are perverse.^(Y)

⁷ A discerning son heeds instruction,
    but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.^(Z)

⁸ Whoever increases wealth by taking interest^(AA) or profit from the poor
    amasses it for another,^(AB) who will be kind to the poor.^(AC)

⁹ If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
    even their prayers are detestable.^(AD)

¹⁰ Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
    will fall into their own trap,^(AE)
    but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes;
    one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;^(AF)
    but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.^(AG)

¹³ Whoever conceals their sins^(AH) does not prosper,
    but the one who confesses^(AI) and renounces them finds mercy.^(AJ)

¹⁴ Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
    but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

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

¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
    but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

¹⁷ Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
    will seek refuge^(AK) in the grave;
    let no one hold them back.

¹⁸ The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,^(AL)
    but the one whose ways are perverse will fall^(AM) into the pit.^[d]

¹⁹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.^(AN)

²⁰ A faithful person will be richly blessed,
    but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.^(AO)

²¹ To show partiality^(AP) is not good^(AQ)—
    yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.^(AR)

²² The stingy are eager to get rich
    and are unaware that poverty awaits them.^(AS)

²³ Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
    rather than one who has a flattering tongue.^(AT)

²⁴ Whoever robs their father or mother^(AU)
    and says, “It’s not wrong,”
    is partner to one who destroys.^(AV)

²⁵ The greedy stir up conflict,^(AW)
    but those who trust in the Lord^(AX) will prosper.

²⁶ Those who trust in themselves are fools,^(AY)
    but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.^(AZ)

²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,^(BA)
    but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.^(BB)

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

29 Whoever remains stiff-necked^(BD) after many rebukes
    will suddenly be destroyed^(BE)—without remedy.^(BF)

² When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;^(BG)
    when the wicked rule,^(BH) the people groan.^(BI)

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

⁴ By justice a king gives a country stability,^(BL)
    but those who are greedy for^[e] bribes tear it down.

⁵ Those who flatter their neighbors
    are spreading nets for their feet.^(BM)

⁶ Evildoers are snared by their own sin,^(BN)
    but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.

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

⁸ Mockers stir up a city,
    but the wise turn away anger.^(BP)

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

¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
    and seek to kill the upright.^(BQ)

¹¹ Fools give full vent to their rage,^(BR)
    but the wise bring calm in the end.^(BS)

¹² If a ruler^(BT) listens to lies,
    all his officials become wicked.^(BU)

¹³ The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
    The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.^(BV)

¹⁴ If a king judges the poor with fairness,
    his throne will be established forever.^(BW)

¹⁵ A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
    but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.^(BX)

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

¹⁷ Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
    they will bring you the delights you desire.^(BZ)

¹⁸ Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
    but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.^(CA)

¹⁹ Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
    though they understand, they will not respond.

²⁰ Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.^(CB)

²¹ A servant pampered from youth
    will turn out to be insolent.

²² An angry person stirs up conflict,
    and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.^(CC)

²³ Pride brings a person low,^(CD)
    but the lowly in spirit gain honor.^(CE)

²⁴ The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
    they are put under oath and dare not testify.^(CF)

²⁵ Fear^(CG) of man will prove to be a snare,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord^(CH) is kept safe.^(CI)

²⁶ Many seek an audience with a ruler,^(CJ)
    but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.^(CK)

²⁷ The righteous detest the dishonest;
    the wicked detest the upright.^(CL)