Proverbs 27:12-22

12 A 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.)

13 Take 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.)

14 He 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.)

15 Roofs 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.)

16 He 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.)

17 Iron 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.)

18 He 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.)

19 As 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.)

20 Hell and perdition shall not be filled; so and the eyes of men be not able to be (ful)filled. (Sheol, or the land of the dead, and perdition/Hell and perdition shall never be filled full; and the eyes, or the appetites, of people shall never be fulfilled, or satisfied.)

21 As silver is proved in a welling place, and gold is proved in a furnace; so a man is proved by the mouth of his praisers (so a person is proved, or assayed, by the words of his praisers).

22 Though thou poundedest a fool in a mortar, as with a pestle smiting above dried barley (like pounding dried barley with a pestle), his folly shall not be done away from him.

Proverbs 27:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 14

This chapter relates the sickness of Jeroboam's son, the application of his wife, at his instance, to the prophet Ahijah, in the child's favour, 1Ki 14:1-6, the prophecy of the prophet concerning the ruin of Jeroboam's house, and the death of the child, which came to pass, 1Ki 14:7-18, an account of the years of Jeroboam's reign, and also of Rehoboam's, 1Ki 14:19-21, and of the evil things done and suffered by the latter in his kingdom, and the calamities that came upon him for it, 1Ki 14:22-28 and the conclusion of his reign, 1Ki 14:29-31.