27:27 And there will be enough goat’s milk for your food, 1
for the food of your household,
and for the sustenance 2 of your servant girls.
24:27 Establish your work outside and get your fields ready;
afterward build 3 your house. 4
1 sn This part of the proverb shows the proper interplay between human labor and divine provision. It teaches people to take care of what they have because it will not last forever.
2 tn Heb “life”; KJV, NAB “maintenance”; NRSV “nourishment.”
3 tn The perfect tense with vav following the imperatives takes on the force of an imperative here.
4 sn If the term “house” is understood literally, the proverb would mean that one should be financially secure before building a house (cf. NLT). If “house” is figurative for household (metonymy of subject: children or family), the proverb would mean that one should have financial security and provision before starting a family. Some English versions suggest the latter meaning by using the word “home” for “house” (e.g., TEV, CEV).