Proverbs 27:6-19

⁶Better be the wounds of him that loveth, than the guileful kisses of him that hateth. (Better be the wounds of him who loveth, than the deceitful kisses of him who hateth.)

⁷A man filled shall despise an honeycomb (or A full person shall despise an honeycomb); but an hungry man shall take, yea, bitter thing for sweet.

⁸As a bird passing over from his nest, so is a man that forsaketh his place. (Like a bird passing over its own nest, is a man who is far from his own home.)

⁹The heart delighteth in ointment, and diverse odours; and a soul is made sweet by the good counsels of a friend.

¹⁰Forsake thou not thy friend, and the friend of thy father; and enter thou not into the house of thy brother, in the day of thy torment. Better is a neighbour nigh, than a brother afar. (Desert thou not thy friend, or thy father’s friend; and enter thou not into the house of thy brother, on the day of thy torment. For a friend close-by is better, than thy own brother far away.)

¹¹My son, study thou about wisdom, and make thou glad mine heart; that thou mayest answer a word to a despiser (or so that I can have an answer for any despiser, or for any mocker).

¹²A fell man seeing evil was hid; little men of wit passing forth suffered harms. (A clever person, seeing evil approach, was hidden; but people of little wit, or of low intelligence, pass forth, or continue on, and suffer harm.)

¹³Take thou away his cloth, that promised for a stranger; and take thou away a wed from him for an alien man. (Take thou away his cloak, who hath promised for a stranger; and take thou away a pledge from him for an unknown person.)

¹⁴He that blesseth his neighbour with a great voice; and riseth by night, shall be like him that curseth (him). (He who blesseth his neighbour with a great voice, when he riseth at night, shall be likened to him who curseth him.)

¹⁵Roofs dropping in the day of cold, and a woman full of chiding, be likened together. (Roofs dripping rain on a cold day, and a woman full of arguments, or of bickering, be quite similar.)

¹⁶He that withholdeth her, (is) as if he holdeth (the) wind; and voideth the oil (out) of his right hand. (He who trieth to hold her, is like him who trieth to hold the wind; and like him who trieth to pick up oil with his fingers.)

¹⁷Iron is whetted by iron; and a man whetteth the face of his friend. (Iron is sharpened by iron; and a man sharpeneth his friend’s mind.)

¹⁸He that keepeth a fig tree (safe), shall eat the fruits thereof; and he that is a keeper of his lord, shall be glorified. (He who keepeth a fig tree safe, shall eat its fruits; and he who keepeth his lord safe, shall be honoured.)

¹⁹As the cheers of men beholding (themselves) shine in waters; so the hearts of men be open to prudent men. (Like the faces of people beholding themselves shine in the water; so people’s hearts be open to prudent people.)