Proverbs 27

Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.

Let another man 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 is heavier than both.

Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.

As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.

Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother.

Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!

He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.

A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:

restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.

Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.

Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.

Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.

Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.

Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds,

for riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to all generations.

The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.

The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.

There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter offers practical wisdom on humility, relationships, self-awareness, and diligent stewardship, moving from warnings about pride and folly to reflections on friendship, integrity, and faithful labor. It fits within Proverbs’ broader emphasis on the disciplined life ordered by godly insight, showing how reverence for God’s design shapes daily conduct.

Flow.

Begins with admonitions against self-exaltation and presumption, urging reliance on God’s sovereignty over the future and the value of humility in receiving praise (v. 1–2).
Contrasts the weight of folly and jealousy with the value of honest rebuke and true friendship, highlighting the soul’s need for correction and counsel (v. 3–9).
Stresses prudence in relationships and responsibilities, warning against careless guarantees and noisy insincerity, while commending loyalty and care in community (v. 10–14).
Concludes with metaphors on influence, work, and observation—underscoring the refining nature of life’s trials, the persistence of human desire, and the call to faithful oversight of one’s duties (v. 15–27).

Connections.
Following chapter 26, which juxtaposes folly and wisdom through proverbial contrasts, chapter 27 deepens the focus on personal integrity and relational accountability, refining the earlier theme of discernment in human interactions. Where chapter 26 exposes the sluggard and the hypocrite, chapter 27 calls for active prudence, steadfast friendship, and diligent management of one’s household. This preparation for responsible living leads directly into chapter 28, which examines the moral order of society and the consequences of justice and oppression, grounding personal conduct in broader covenantal realities.

What it teaches.
The chapter instructs that wisdom is lived out in humility before God and honesty before others, recognizing the heart’s tendency to pride (WCF 6.5) and the necessity of godly correction for spiritual growth (HC LD 32). It affirms that relationships reflect divine design when marked by faithfulness, even when painful (; cf. WCF 13.3 on sanctification). The insatiable nature of human desire (v. 20) echoes the Scriptural diagnosis of the fallen heart’s unrest (; cf. HC LD 4), while the call to know one’s flocks points to stewardship as an act of worshipful diligence (WCF 7.6; ). The refining effect of praise (v. 21) suggests that even commendation must be tested, for the heart is deep and God alone judges truly (WCF 18.2).

Apply.
Conduct your relationships with such integrity that correction strengthens rather than divides, and your labor with such care that daily duties become acts of quiet faithfulness.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.