KNOW THE CONDITION OF YOUR FLOCK
Key verse: 23
NIV
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;(A)
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.(B)
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.(C)
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.(D)
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(E)
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,(F)
and whoever protects their master will be honored.(G)
19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.[a]
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,(J)
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,(K)
give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,(L)
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 27:19 Or so others reflect your heart back to you
- Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Abaddon
Cross references
- Proverbs 27:11 : S Pr 10:1; S 23:15-16
- Proverbs 27:11 : S Ge 24:60
- Proverbs 27:12 : Pr 22:3
- Proverbs 27:13 : Pr 20:16
- Proverbs 27:15 : S Est 1:18
- Proverbs 27:18 : 1Co 9:7
- Proverbs 27:18 : Lk 19:12-27
- Proverbs 27:20 : Pr 30:15-16; Hab 2:5
- Proverbs 27:20 : Ecc 1:8; 6:7
- Proverbs 27:21 : S Pr 17:3
- Proverbs 27:23 : Pr 12:10
- Proverbs 27:24 : Pr 23:5
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
11 (A)Be wise, (B)my son, and (C)make my heart glad,
that I may (D)answer him who reproaches me.
12 (E)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but (F)the simple go on and suffer for it.
13 (G)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.[a]
14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.
15 (H)A continual dripping on a rainy day
and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
or to grasp[b] oil in one's right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.[c]
18 (I)Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who (J)guards his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
so the heart of man reflects the man.
20 (K)Sheol and Abaddon are (L)never satisfied,
and (M)never satisfied are the eyes of man.
21 (N)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and a man is tested by his praise.
22 (O)Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
along with crushed grain,
yet his folly will not depart from him.
23 (P)Know well the condition of your flocks,
and (Q)give attention to your herds,
24 for (R)riches do not last forever;
and does a crown endure to all generations?
25 (S)When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26 (T)the lambs will provide your clothing,
and the goats the price of a field.
27 (U)There will be enough goats' milk for your food,
for the food of your household
and maintenance for your girls.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:13 Hebrew a foreign woman; a slight emendation yields (compare Vulgate; see also 20:16) foreigners
- Proverbs 27:16 Hebrew to meet with
- Proverbs 27:17 Hebrew sharpens the face of another
Cross references
- Proverbs 27:11 : ch. 6:6
- Proverbs 27:11 : ch. 10:1; 23:15, 24
- Proverbs 27:11 : See ch. 29:3
- Proverbs 27:11 : Ps. 119:42; [Ps. 127:5]
- Proverbs 27:12 : ch. 22:3
- Proverbs 27:12 : See ch. 1:4
- Proverbs 27:13 : See ch. 20:16
- Proverbs 27:15 : ch. 19:13
- Proverbs 27:18 : Song 8:12; 1 Cor. 3:8; 9:7; 2 Tim. 2:6
- Proverbs 27:18 : [Matt. 25:21]
- Proverbs 27:20 : ch. 15:11; See Job 26:6
- Proverbs 27:20 : ch. 30:15, 16; Hab. 2:5; [ch. 1:12]
- Proverbs 27:20 : Eccles. 1:8; 4:8
- Proverbs 27:21 : ch. 17:3
- Proverbs 27:22 : [ch. 23:35; Isa. 1:5; Jer. 5:3]
- Proverbs 27:23 : [John 10:3, 14; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2, 4]
- Proverbs 27:23 : [John 10:3, 14; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2, 4]
- Proverbs 27:24 : ch. 23:5
- Proverbs 27:25 : Ps. 37:2; 90:5, 6
- Proverbs 27:26 : [1 Tim. 6:8]
- Proverbs 27:27 : [See ver. 26 above]; [1 Tim. 6:8]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Prayer: Lord, as iron sharpens iron, your word sharpens me. Let me be a good shepherd.
One Word: Jesus, our good shepherd