CHAPTER 27 Apr. 17 
Faithfulness to Friends and Recognising True Values
Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring forth. 2Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. 3A stone is heavy and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both. 4Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy? 5Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; although the kisses of an enemy are profuse. 7A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet. 8As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home. 9Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend. 10Don’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 neighbour who is near than a distant brother. 11Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor. 12A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on and suffer for it. 13Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger; hold it for a wayward woman! 14He who blesses his neighbour with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him. 15A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike: 16restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.

Your Heart Shows in Your Face 
17Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance. 18Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit; he who looks after his master shall be honoured. 19As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. 20Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied. 21The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is tested by his praise. 22Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.  23Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds: 24for riches are not forever, nor does even the crown endure to all generations. 25The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in. 26The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field. 27There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls. 

Commentary

27:1 James 4:14,15 alludes to this verse, teaching that our speech should be characterized by frequent statements that our plans are “God willing” or “If the Lord will”.
27:5 The implication is that if we love someone, we must show it- and that may require us to rebuke them at times, as a reflection of that love we have for them (:6).
27:7 To a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet- The context of the surrounding verses speak of loving friends rebuking their friends in love. So the idea may be that we are all spiritually hungry, and the bitterness of receiving rebuke from our friends will therefore be sweet to us. It’s the spiritually proud, who consider themselves full, who have no liking for rebuke.
27:10 This whole section teaches the importance of having faithful, spiritually minded friends. True fellowship within the family of God’s people means that we can relate to each other as if we really are natural family. The idea of ‘out of church Christians’ is a contradiction in terms; we are designed to develop spiritually as a result of true fellowship with other believers. Poor church experiences shouldn’t lead us to retreat within ourselves, because there is no path to growth within the body of God’s people if we cut ourselves off from them (Jn. 15:5).
27:21 How we respond to praise is an indicator of who we really are spiritually, because our response will indicate whether we are proud or humble.