Proverbs 27: Faithful Wounds of a Friend
Solomon weighs true friendship, honest rebuke, and the careful diligence that watches over daily work.
Proverbs 27 (WEB)
1 Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.
2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
10 Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster: better is a neighbor who is near than a distant brother.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
12 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored.
19 Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds:
24 for riches are not forever, nor does even the crown endure to all generations.
25 The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
27 There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
Proverbs 27 (KJV)
1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
27 And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.
Proverbs 27 (ASV)
1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; But a fool’s vexation is heavier than they both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke Than love that is hidden.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, So is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; So doth the sweetness of a man’s friend that cometh of hearty counsel.
10 Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; And go not to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.
11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; Butthe simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; And hold him in pledge that is surety for a foreign woman.
14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It shall be counted a curse to him.
15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike:
16 He that would restrain her restraineth the wind; And his right hand encountereth oil.
17 Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; And he that regardeth his master shall be honored.
19 As in water faceanswerethto face, So the heart of man to man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; And the eyes of man are never satisfied.
21 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; And a man istriedby his praise.
22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with bruised grain, Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, And look well to thy herds:
24 For riches are not for ever; And doth the crown endure unto all generations?
25 The hay is carried, and the tender grass showeth itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
26 The lambs are for thy clothing, And the goats are the price of the field;
27 Andthere will begoats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, And maintenance for thy maidens.
Summary
This chapter gathers Solomon's proverbs on friendship, character, and watchfulness. It opens by warning against boasting about tomorrow and against praising oneself, urging that another person do the praising instead. It prizes honesty in relationships: open rebuke is better than hidden love, and the wounds of a friend are faithful while an enemy's kisses are profuse. Earnest counsel from a friend brings joy like perfume, and a near neighbor proves better than a distant brother in the day of trouble. Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. The chapter notes that a continual dropping resembles a contentious wife, that the heart reflects the person as water reflects a face, and that a person is tested by praise. It closes by commending diligent care for one's flocks and herds, since riches do not last forever.
Main Characters
- A friend — The faithful companion whose honest wounds and earnest counsel sharpen and strengthen, better than an enemy's flattery.
- Solomon — The teacher who gathers these sayings on friendship, self-restraint, and diligent watchfulness over one's work.
- A prudent man — The wise person who foresees danger and takes refuge, unlike the simple who pass on and suffer for it.
- A fool — The stubborn person whose provocation is heavier than stone and whose foolishness will not be ground out of him.
Key Verse
Proverbs 27:17 (WEB)
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
Lessons Learned
- Honest correction from a true friend is a gift, even when it stings, far better than an enemy's empty flattery.
- We grow sharper and stronger through close, faithful relationships rather than in isolation.
- Boasting about tomorrow is folly, for we do not know what a single day may bring.
- Diligent, attentive care over daily responsibilities is wisdom, because wealth and position do not last forever.
- True friends tell us the truth. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, while the kisses of an enemy are profuse, so honest correction proves love better than flattery (Proverbs 27:6, WEB).
- We are shaped by those closest to us. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens his friend's countenance, reminding us that growth happens in real relationship (Proverbs 27:17, WEB).
- Open rebuke is an act of love. Better is open rebuke than hidden love, for love that never corrects keeps its care hidden and unhelpful (Proverbs 27:5, WEB).
- Tomorrow is not ours to command. Don't boast about tomorrow, for you don't know what a day may bring, which calls us to humble dependence on God (Proverbs 27:1, WEB).
- Let your praise come from others. Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth, since self-promotion reveals pride while a tested character earns honest regard (Proverbs 27:2, WEB).
- Diligence guards what God provides. Know well the state of your flocks and pay attention to your herds, for riches are not forever, urging faithful care over present blessings (Proverbs 27:23-24, WEB).
- Why does Solomon say the wounds of a friend are faithful while an enemy's kisses are profuse (Proverbs 27:6)?
- What does it mean that iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17)?
- Why is open rebuke called better than hidden love (Proverbs 27:5)?
- What does the call to know well the state of your flocks teach about daily diligence (Proverbs 27:23-24)?
- Who in your life is a friend willing to wound you faithfully, and how do you respond to their honesty?
- A friend who loves us will risk hurting our feelings to tell us hard truth, while an enemy lavishes pleasant words that mean nothing (27:6); the painful honesty of love is more trustworthy than abundant flattery.
- Just as one blade sharpens another through friction, people grow keener, wiser, and stronger through close, honest engagement with one another (27:17); we are not meant to mature alone.
- Love that hides itself and never corrects leaves a person uncorrected, whereas open rebuke actually helps (27:5); real love is willing to speak up rather than stay silent.
- It teaches that wealth and position are not permanent, so we should attend carefully and faithfully to the responsibilities and resources God has entrusted to us now (27:23-24).
- Personal: invite members to name a trusted friend who speaks honestly to them, and to reflect on whether they receive such correction with gratitude or defensiveness.