Proverbs chapter 27

vs 19

This is simple enough - the idea is that how you live reflects what you really think or feel in your heart, in your centre of you. The alternative translation is also pretty sensical - you will see your heart reflected in other people - because how you treat them will reflect back to you what your heart is like.

vs 20

So that just gives you an idea how undefeatable the enemy within us is - we will have to forever wage a losing war against our eyes, which will seek to cause us to sin. Of course, it's not our eyes that cause us to sin, but our desires - the eyes are just a useful tool to the desires.

vs 21

Sigh, but the TNIV just doesn't cut it here. Oh, it sounds cool, but it leaves it unclear as to the direction the praise is flowing. The NIV and NASB make it clear - that it is the praise accorded to the one being measured. Now, it might be more literally correct that we can't tell from the Hebrew which way the praise actually flows - but even so, guys, take a guess, or put both options in the text so that we at least know it's an option.

Anyway, people can be tested by the praise others give them. That will judge their worthiness.

vs 22

While a fool and his money are easily and soon parted, fools and their foolishness are melded together with, I don't know, glue or something.

vs 23

Animals equals wealth, so seriously, it's like looking after your shares.

vs 24

Look after riches, because they don't last forever? Or perhaps he's talking about looking after the homegrown trustworthy riches of food on table type riches, because the more ephemeral margin lending riches come and go? It does strike me, actually how many people strike it rich, or relatively well off, and then come crashing back down. It makes you wonder, "Where was their safety net?" Lots of people never have one. I think livestock could be the safety net of the nouveax riche of the ancient world.

vs 25

I assume that this is a particular time of season or in the farm calendar...

vs 26

Okay, so at this time livestock is worth a bit.

vs 27

It's a good and profitable time. This agricultural picture, is it allegorical? I feel like one of those people who heard one of Jesus' farming parables, like the parable of the sower, and didn't hear the explanation, and so thought it was literally about farming. Because I have no idea here. Will it be explained in chapter 28? Stay tuned!