< Proverbs 25 >
1 These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
THESE ARE ALSO PARABLES of Salomon, which the men of Hezekiah King of Iudah copied out.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.
The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret: but the Kings honour is to search out a thing.
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
The heaues in height, and the earth in deepenes, and the Kings heart can no man search out.
4 Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
Take the drosse from the siluer, and there shall proceede a vessell for the finer.
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Take away the wicked from the King, and his throne shall be stablished in righteousnes.
6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;
Boast not thy selfe before the King, and stand not in the place of great men.
7 for it is better that he says to you, “Come up here!” than that you should be demoted in the presence of the prince. Even what you have seen with your own eyes,
For it is better, that it be saide vnto thee, Come vp hither, then thou to be put lower in the presece of the prince whom thine eyes haue seene.
8 do not bring hastily to court. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Goe not foorth hastily to strife, least thou know not what to doe in the ende thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
9 Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence,
Debate thy matter with thy neighbour, and discouer not the secret to another,
10 lest the one who hears may disgrace you, and your infamy never go away.
Least he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamie doe not cease.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
A word spoken in his place, is like apples of golde with pictures of siluer.
12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
He that reprooueth the wise, and the obedient eare, is as a golden earering and an ornament of fine golde.
13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.
As the colde of the snowe in the time of haruest, so is a faithfull messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soule of his masters.
14 Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.
A man that boasteth of false liberalitie, is like cloudes and winde without raine.
15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
A Prince is pacified by staying of anger, and a soft tongue breaketh the bones.
16 If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up.
If thou haue found hony, eate that is sufficient for thee, least thou be ouerfull, and vomit it.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he grow weary and hate you.
Withdrawe thy foote from thy neighbours house, least he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
18 Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
A man that beareth false witnes against his neighbour, is like an hammer and a sword, and a sharpe arrowe.
19 Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
Confidence in an vnfaythfull man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth and a sliding foote.
20 Like one who removes a garment on a cold day or vinegar poured on a wound is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
Hee that taketh away the garment in the colde season, is like vineger powred vpon nitre, or like him that singeth songs to an heauy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
If hee that hateth thee be hungry, giue him bread to eate, and if he be thirstie, giue him water to drinke.
22 For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
For thou shalt lay coles vpon his head, and the Lord shall recompense thee.
23 As the north wind brings forth rain, so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.
As the Northwinde driueth away the raine, so doeth an angry countenance the slandering tongue.
24 Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, then with a contentious woman in a wide house.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.
As are the colde waters to a weary soule, so is good newes from a farre countery.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
A righteous man falling downe before the wicked, is like a troubled well, and a corrupt spring.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.
It is not good to eate much hony: so to search their owne glory is not glory.
28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.
A man that refraineth not his appetite, is like a citie which is broken downe and without walles.