Proverbs 27:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; And a man is [tried] by his praise.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מַצְרֵ֣ף לַ֭כֶּסֶף וְכ֣וּר לַזָּהָ֑ב וְ֝אִ֗ישׁ לְפִ֣י מַהֲלָלֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

maṣrēp lakkesep wĕkûr lazzāhāb wĕʾîš lĕpî mahălālô

Grammar Details

*maṣrēp*: masculine singular - crucible/refining pot
*lakkesep*: preposition + definite article + masculine singular - for the silver
*wĕkûr*: conjunction + masculine singular - and furnace
*lazzāhāb*: preposition + definite article + masculine singular - for the gold
*wĕʾîš*: conjunction + masculine singular - and man
*lĕpî*: preposition + masculine singular construct - according to mouth of
*mahălālô*: masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his praise

Word Meanings

*maṣrēp*: crucible/refining pot/smelting pot
*kesep*: silver/money
*kûr*: furnace/smelting furnace
*zāhāb*: gold
*ʾîš*: man/person
*peh*: mouth/speech
*mahălāl*: praise/boasting/flattery

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 17:3 : 3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.
Zech 13:9 : 9 And I will bring the third part into 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, Jehovah is my God.
Mal 3:3 : 3 and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah offerings in righteousness.
1 Pet 1:7 : 7 that the proof of your faith, [being] more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ:
1 Pet 4:12 : 12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you:
1 Sam 18:7-8 : 7 And the women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and this 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 Sam 18:15-16 : 15 And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
1 Sam 18:30 : 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much [ set by.]
2 Sam 14:25 : 25 Now 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.
2 Sam 15:6-9 : 6 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. 7 And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto Jehovah, in Hebron. 8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah. 9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron. 11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not anything. 12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
Ps 12:6 : 6 The words of Jehovah are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, Purified seven times.
Ps 66:10 : 10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Prov 17:3
80%
3The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts.
Prov 25:4
77%
4Take away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
Prov 27:22
72%
22Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with bruised grain, Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
Ps 66:10
72%
10For thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
Job 28:1-2
2 verses
72%
1Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place for gold which they refine.
2Iron is taken out of the earth, And copper is molten out of the stone.
Isa 13:12
72%
12I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir.
Job 23:10
71%
10But he knoweth the way that I take; When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Prov 27:17
71%
17Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Ezek 22:22
71%
22As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, have poured out my wrath upon you.
Prov 25:11-12
2 verses
71%
11A word fitly spoken Is [like] apples of gold in network of silver.
12[ As] an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [So is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
Prov 27:19-20
2 verses
70%
19As in water face [answereth] to face, So the heart of man to man.
20Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; And the eyes of man are never satisfied.
1 Pet 1:7
70%
7that the proof of your faith, [being] more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ:
Mal 3:3
70%
3and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah offerings in righteousness.
Jer 6:29-30
2 verses
70%
29The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.
30Refuse silver shall men call them, because Jehovah hath rejected them.
Isa 48:10
70%
10Behold, I have refined thee, but not as silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Isa 40:19
70%
19The image, a workman hath cast [it], and the goldsmith overlayeth it with gold, and casteth [for it] silver chains.
Ps 12:6
70%
6The words of Jehovah are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, Purified seven times.
Prov 12:8
69%
8A man shall be commended according to his wisdom; But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
Ps 39:11
69%
11When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: Surely every man is vanity. Selah
Ezek 22:18
69%
18Son of man, the house of Israel is become dross unto me: all of them are brass and tin and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are the dross of silver.
Prov 26:23
69%
23Fervent lips and a wicked heart Are [like] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
Job 5:17
69%
17Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
1 Cor 3:12-13
2 verses
69%
12But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13each man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is.
Job 27:16-17
2 verses
69%
16Though he heap up silver as the dust, And prepare raiment as the clay;
17He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, And the innocent shall divide the silver.
Prov 27:2
68%
2Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips.
Eccl 7:6
68%
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
2 Tim 2:20-21
2 verses
68%
20Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.
21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, {G2532} meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good work.
Jer 10:9
68%
9There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men.
Exod 25:39
68%
39Of a talent of pure gold shall it be made, with all these vessels.
Prov 21:20
68%
20There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; But a foolish man swalloweth it up.
Prov 29:20
68%
20Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
Prov 22:1
68%
1A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches, [And] loving favor rather than silver and gold.
Ezek 24:11
68%
11Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that it may be hot, and the brass thereof may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the rust of it may be consumed.
Jer 51:17
67%
17Every man is become brutish [and is] without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
Prov 26:21
67%
21[ As] coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife.
Job 13:9
67%
9Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him?
Prov 29:23
67%
23A man's pride shall bring him low; But he that is of a lowly spirit shall obtain honor.
Ezek 22:20
67%
20As they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my wrath, and I will lay you there, and melt you.
Prov 12:14
67%
14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth; And the doings of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.
Prov 21:22
67%
22A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof.