Proverbs 25
1 These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.
As the heavens for their height, And as the earth for its depth, So is the heart of kings unsearchable!
4 Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.
Take away the dross from the silver, And there will come forth a vessel for the founder;
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Take away the wicked man from the presence of the king, And his throne will be established by righteousness.
6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;
Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, Nor set thyself in the place of the great;
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 better is it that one should say to thee, “Come up hither!” Than that he should put thee in a lower place, In the presence of the prince whom thine eyes behold.
8 do not bring hastily to court. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Go not forth hastily to engage in a suit, Lest thou know not what to do in the end of it, When thine adversary hath put thee to shame.
9 Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence,
Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, But reveal not another's secret;
10 lest the one who hears may disgrace you, and your infamy never go away.
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, And thy infamy depart not from thee.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
A word spoken in season Is like apples of gold in figured-work of silver.
12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover to an attentive ear.
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 cold of snow in the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the spirit of his masters.
14 Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.
As clouds and wind without rain, So is the man that boasteth falsely of giving.
15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
By long forbearing is a prince appeased; And a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up.
Hast thou found honey? eat what is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he grow weary and hate you.
Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, Lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee.
18 Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
A battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, Is the man who beareth false witness against his neighbor.
19 Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, So is trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.
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.
As he that taketh off a garment on a cold day, As vinegar upon nitre, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.
23 As the north wind brings forth rain, so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.
As the north wind bringeth forth rain, So a backbiting tongue maketh an angry countenance.
24 Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large house.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.
As cold water to the thirsty, So is good news from a far country.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man falling before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.
To eat much honey is not good; So the search of high things is weariness.
28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.
As a city broken through and without a wall, So is he that hath no rule over his spirit.
