Proverbs 27:5-15

5 Better is open reproving, than a love hid. [Better is open amending, than hid love.] (Better be open rebukes, than hidden love.)

6 Better 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.)

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

8 As 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.)

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

10 Forsake 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.)

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

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.)

Proverbs 27:5-15 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.