Proverbs 27

EasyEnglish Bible

27 Do not boast about what you will do tomorrow.
    You do not know what might happen.
² Let other people praise you.
    Do not boast about yourself.
³ A stone is heavy to carry and sand also weighs a lot.
    But the silly acts of a fool give more pain than both of those.
⁴ An angry person does cruel things that can destroy people.
    But a jealous person is much worse.
⁵ When a friend is not afraid to warn you that you are wrong,
    it shows that he really loves you.
⁶ You can trust a friend when he says things that hurt you.
    But when an enemy kisses you, he is deceiving you.
⁷ A person who has eaten enough food will refuse honey.
    But even bitter food seems sweet to a hungry person.
⁸ A person who travels away from his home
    is like a bird that flies away from its nest.
⁹ Beautiful oil and perfume may give you joy.
    But good advice from a friend is even better.
¹⁰ Do not forget your friends or your father's friends.
If you are in trouble, do not ask your relatives to help you.
    A friend who is a neighbour will be more help than a relative who lives far away.

¹¹ My son, if you are wise, I will be happy.
    I will be able to answer anyone who insults me.
¹² A careful person can see danger and he will hide himself.
    But a silly person never stops, and he walks into trouble.
¹³ If someone promises to pay the debts of a stranger,
    take his coat as a guarantee that he will pay.
¹⁴ If you shout a blessing to your neighbour early in the morning,
    he will think it is no better than a curse.
¹⁵ A wife who is always arguing with you
    is as bad as rain that never stops falling.
¹⁶ Can you catch the wind? Can you hold oil in your hand?
    No! And you cannot keep that woman quiet.
¹⁷ People learn from each other,
    as one iron tool can make another one sharp.
¹⁸ If you take care of a fig tree, it will give you fruit to eat.
    If you take care of your master, he will give you honour.
¹⁹ A man can see his face in a mirror.
    But his thoughts show what he is really like.
²⁰ The deep hole of death always wants more dead people to fill it.
    In the same way, a person wants to have everything that he sees.
²¹ You need a hot fire to see if silver and gold are pure.
    In the same way, when people praise you,
    they can see what you are really like.
²² Even if you beat a fool with a big stick, as hard as you beat grain,
    you will never remove all his silly ideas.