ProverbsChapter 27

+ Secondary text Original text ← Previous Next →Contribute

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

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

A stone is heavy and sand is a burden, but a fool's provocation outweighs them both.

Wrath is cruel and anger overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

Better open rebuke than love kept hidden.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are false.

One who is full tramples honey underfoot, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

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

Oil and incense gladden the heart, and so does the sweetness of a friend's heartfelt counsel.

Do not forsake your friend or your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house on the day of your disaster. Better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

Be wise, my son, and gladden my heart, so I can answer anyone who taunts me.

The prudent see danger and take cover; the simple walk on and pay the price.

Take the garment of anyone who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does so for a foreign woman.

Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning—it will be counted as a curse.

A steady dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike.

Restraining her is like restraining the wind, or grasping oil with your right hand.

Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.

Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

As water reflects the face, so one human heart reflects another.

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.^f

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

Though you crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle, along with the grain, his folly will not leave him.

Know well the condition of your flocks; give careful attention to your herds.

For riches do not last forever, nor a crown through all generations.

When the grass is gone and new growth appears and the herbs of the hills are gathered in,

the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field.

There will be goats' milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and nourishment for your servant girls.

Lookup

Summary2

Chapter 27

Main Theme: The chapter offers wisdom on friendship, self-knowledge, and diligent work.

Content: Proverbs 27 warns against boasting and encourages letting others praise you. The chapter highlights the value of honest friendship—the wounds from a friend are trustworthy, and iron sharpens iron. It cautions against jealousy, a quarrelsome wife, and humanity's insatiable desires. Finally, it urges diligent care for livestock and farming as the foundation for daily sustenance.

Key Words/Images:

Iron sharpens iron (v.17): Friendship and community shape and refine character.
A neighbor near rather than a brother far away (v.10): Practical closeness is more valuable than distant family ties in times of need.
Open rebuke (vv.5–6): Honest criticism from a friend is better than hidden affection.
The grave is never satisfied (v.20): Human eyes and desires are insatiable, serving as a warning against greed.
Watch over your flock (vv.23–27): Diligence and care for what you are responsible for bring lasting prosperity.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Proverbs 27

Events and Customs

Verses 23–27 form a coherent section on livestock farming and agriculture, offering valuable insight into the agrarian society of ancient Israel. The description of sheep, goats, and their products reflects a pastoral economy where wealth was measured primarily in herds rather than coinage. The phrase "lambs for your clothing" (verse 26) refers to wool production, while "goat's milk" (verse 27) was a major source of nourishment. The wording that "riches do not last forever" and that "the crown does not endure from generation to generation" (verse 24) may reflect political instability during the monarchy, when dynasties could fall and fortunes vanish.

Key Terms

The word מַכְתֵּשׁ (maktesh, verse 22) denotes a stone mortar in which grain was crushed with a pestle (עֱלִי, ʿeli). This was an everyday tool in Israelite households, and the image of crushing a fool in a mortar along with grain kernels underscores how deeply ingrained foolishness is—it cannot be "ground away." The word שְׁאוֹל (sheol, verse 20) refers to the realm of the dead in Hebrew thought—a shadowy underworld where the deceased reside. The parallel between sheol's insatiable appetite and human eyes illustrates the boundless nature of human desire.

Chapter-Specific Findings

Verse 21 mentions מַצְרֵף (matsref) for silver and כּוּר (kur) for gold—respectively, a refining crucible and a smelting furnace. Archaeological excavations at Timna in the Negev and other sites throughout the Levant have uncovered metallurgical installations from the Bronze Age and Iron Age. These findings confirm the advanced metalworking technology that existed in the region. The image of refinement testing the purity of metal is here applied to how praise tests a person's character.

People

No known people in this chapter.

Key words10

Iron — Used metaphorically to describe how a person can shape and influence another through friendship and counsel.
Honey — Symbolizes something sweet and pleasant, often used as a metaphor for wisdom or good words.
Discipline — Admonition, correction, or training necessary to correct errors and teach righteousness and sound morality.
Outburst of anger — Intense rage or wrath that can lead to conflict and the destruction of relationships.
Wounds — Used both literally and metaphorically to describe pain and harm, whether physical or emotional.
Love — A deep devotion and care for others, including family, friends, and neighbors.
Neighborliness — The relationship between people who live near each other, and how they interact and help one another.
Self-praise — Praising oneself excessively, which is considered negative and can lead to arrogance and pride.
and 2 more