Proverbs 27 · Verse 21

Proverbs 27:21

As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
Proverbs 27:21, King James Version

Proverbs 27:21 in other translations

BSBA crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but a man is tested by the praise accorded him.
WEBThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
ASVThe refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; And a man is tried by his praise.
YLTA refining pot is for silver, and a furnace for gold, And a man according to his praise.
DARBYThe fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.
BBEThe heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, and a man is measured by what he is praised for.
WebsterAs the fining-pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.

What does Proverbs 27:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. Praise tests character. a man to his praise--according to his praise, as he bears it. Thus vain men seek it, weak men are inflated by it, wise men disregard it, &c.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 As the fining pot for silver - As silver and gold are tried by the art of the refiner, so is a man's heart by the praise he receives. If he feel it not, he deserves it; if he be puffed up by it, he is worthless.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Silver and gold are tried by putting them into the furnace and fining-pot; so is a man tried by praising him.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 27:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מַצְרֵ֣ףmatz.Refa crucibleH4715
לַ֭כֶּסֶףLa.ke.seffor <the> silverH3701
וְכ֣וּרve.Khurand a smelting furnaceH3564
לַזָּהָ֑בla.za.Havfor <the> goldH2091
וְ֝אִ֗ישׁve.'Ishand a personH376
לְפִ֣יle.Fito [the] mouth ofH6310
מַהֲלָלֽוֹ\׃ma.ha.la.Lopraise hisH4110

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 27:21

  • Proverbs 17:3

    The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

  • Zechariah 13:9

    And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

  • Psalms 66:10

    For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

  • Malachi 3:3

    And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

  • 1 Peter 1:7

    That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

  • 2 Samuel 15:6-12

    And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord. And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron. …

  • 2 Samuel 14:25

    But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

  • 1 Samuel 18:7-8

    And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

  • 1 Peter 4:12

    Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

  • 1 Samuel 18:15-16

    Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

  • Psalms 12:6

    The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

  • 1 Samuel 18:30

    Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the fining.
17:3; Ps 12:6; 66:10; Zec 13:9; Mal 3:3; 1Pe 1:7; 4:12
so.
1Sa 18:7,8,15,16,30; 2Sa 14:25; 15:6-12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 27:20

    Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

  • Proverbs 27:21

    As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.

  • Proverbs 27:22

    Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

Read all of Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
El crisol prueba la plata, y la hornaza el oro: y al hombre la boca del que lo alaba.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Le creuset est pour l’argent, et le fourneau pour l’or, ainsi l’homme, pour la bouche qui le loue.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Der Schmelztiegel für das Silber, und der Ofen für das Gold; und ein Mann nach Maßgabe seines Lobes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quomodo probatur in conflatorio argentum et in fornace aurum, sic probatur homo ore laudantis. Cor iniqui inquirit mala, cor autem rectum inquirit scientiam.