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Proverbs 26:13-27:27
New King James Version
Proverbs 26:13-27:27
New King James Version
13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the [a]streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
15 The (A)lazy man buries his hand in the [b]bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, (B)“I was only joking!”
20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no [c]talebearer, strife ceases.
21 (C)As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a [d]talebearer are like [e]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the [f]inmost body.
23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
24 He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
25 (D)When [g]he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
27 (E)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works (F)ruin.
My Son, Be Wise
27 Do(G) not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 (H)Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But (I)who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 (J)Open rebuke is better
Than love carefully concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are (K)deceitful.
7 A satisfied soul [h]loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by [i]hearty counsel.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
(L)Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
(M)That I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are (N)punished.
13 Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.
15 A (O)continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever [j]restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 (P)Whoever [k]keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.
21 (S)The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.
22 (T)Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Be diligent to know the state of your (U)flocks,
And attend to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 (V)When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:13 Or plazas, squares
- Proverbs 26:15 LXX, Syr. bosom; Tg., Vg. armpit
- Proverbs 26:20 gossip or slanderer, lit. whisperer
- Proverbs 26:22 gossip or slanderer
- Proverbs 26:22 A Jewish tradition wounds
- Proverbs 26:22 Lit. rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 26:25 Lit. his voice is gracious
- Proverbs 27:7 tramples on
- Proverbs 27:9 Lit. counsel of the soul
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit. hides
- Proverbs 27:18 protects or tends
- Proverbs 27:20 Or Sheol
- Proverbs 27:20 Heb. Abaddon
Proverbs 26:13-27:27
New International Version
Proverbs 26:13-27:27
New International Version
13 A sluggard says,(A) “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”(B)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.(C)
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.(D)
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
18 Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.(E)
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(F)
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(G)
23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,(H)
but in their hearts they harbor deceit.(I)
25 Though their speech is charming,(J) do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.(K)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit(L) will fall into it;(M)
if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.(N)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth(O) works ruin.
2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.(R)
3 Stone is heavy and sand(S) a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?(T)
5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.(U)
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(V)
is anyone who flees from home.
9 Perfume(W) 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(X) strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;(Y)
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.(Z)
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.(AA)
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.(AB)
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(AC)
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,(AD)
and whoever protects their master will be honored.(AE)
19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.[b]
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,(AH)
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,(AI)
give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,(AJ)
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth
- Proverbs 27:19 Or so others reflect your heart back to you
- Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Abaddon
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.