Proverbs 27:10-12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
10 Do not give up your own friend and your father’s friend;
do not resort to the house of your kindred when trouble strikes.
Better a neighbor near than kin far away.[a]
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart,
so that I can answer whoever taunts me.[b]
12 The astute see an evil and hide;
the naive continue on and pay the penalty.(A)
Footnotes
- 27:10 The adage is about the difference between friends and kin in a crisis. Two admonitions are grounded in one maxim (colon C). The same Hebrew word means both “one who is near” and “friend.” The whole proverb urges the reader to cultivate old family friends and neighbors and not to rely exclusively on kin in times of trouble, for kin may not be there for us.
- 27:11 A father’s command to a son to be wise, another way of saying that sons or daughters bring joy or shame to their parents.
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