Amsal 27:23

27:23 Pay careful attention to ¹  the condition of your flocks, ² 

give careful attention ³  to your herds,

Amsal 27:27

27:27 And there will be enough goat’s milk for your food, ⁴ 

for the food of your household,

and for the sustenance ⁵  of your servant girls.

[27:23]  ¹ tn The sentence uses the infinitive absolute and the imperfect from יָדַע (yada’, “to know”). The imperfect here has been given the obligatory nuance, “you must know,” and that has to be intensified with the infinitive.

[27:23]  ² tn Heb “the faces of your flock.”

[27:23]  ³ tn The idiom is “place [it on] your heart” or “take to heart.” Cf. NLT “put your heart into.”

[27:23]  sn The care of the flock must become the main focus of the will, for it is the livelihood. So v. 23 forms the main instruction of this lengthy proverb (vv. 23-27).

[27:27]  ⁴ 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.

[27:27]  ⁵ tn Heb “life”; KJV, NAB “maintenance”; NRSV “nourishment.”