Proverbs 26:13-27:27 (NIV84)

¹³ The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.

¹⁵ The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who answer discreetly.

¹⁷ Like one who seizes a dog by the ears
is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

¹⁸ Like a madman shooting
firebrands or deadly arrows

¹⁹ is a man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

²⁰ Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down.

²¹ As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

²² The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to a man’s inmost parts.

²³ Like a coating of glaze ^[a] over earthenware
are fervent lips with an evil heart.

²⁴ A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,
but in his heart he harbors deceit.

²⁵ Though his speech is charming, do not believe him,
for seven abominations fill his heart.

²⁶ His malice may be concealed by deception,
but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

²⁷ If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it;
if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

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 ^[b] 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.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 26:23 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text of silver dross
2. Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Sheol and Abaddon