Proverbs 24:27
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner, 1752)
In The King James Version
In Context
26He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
28Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
Cross References
1 Kings 6:7And the house, when it was in building, was built of stones, hewed and made ready: so that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house when it was in building. Made ready, etc... So the stones for the building of God's eternal temple in the heavenly Jerusalem, (who are the faithful,) must first be hewn and polished here by many trials and sufferings, before they can be admitted to have a place in that celestial structure.
Ecclesiastes 3:2A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 24:24-27
23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. 26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. Here are lessons for wise men, that is, judges and princes. As subjects must do their duty, and be obedient to magistrates, so magistrates must do their duty in… Read the whole commentary →