Proverbs 25
1 These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
Also these are the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah the king of Judah have collected.
2 It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.
It is the honor of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
3 The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.
As are the heavens for height, and the earth is for depth, so should the heart of kings be unsearchable.
4 Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.
Take away the dross from the silver, and there will come forth a vessel for the melter.
5 Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be firmly established in righteousness.
6 Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:
Do not glorify thyself in the presence of the king, and force thyself not into the place of great men;
7 For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.
For better it is that it be said unto thee, “Come up hither,” than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince, which thy own eyes have [often] seen.
8 Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame?
Do not proceed to a contest hastily, lest [thou know not] what thou wilt have to do at its end, when thy neighbor hath put thee to confusion.
9 Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:
Carry on thy cause with thy neighbor; but lay not open the secret of another:
10 Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thy infamy never be removed.
11 A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.
Like apples of gold among figures of silver is a word spoken in a proper manner.
12 Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.
As an earring of gold, and a pendant of fine gold, so is a wise reprover toward an ear that listeneth.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.
As the cooling of snow on a harvest-day, so is a faithful messenger to those that send him; for he refresheth the soul of his master.
14 As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.
Like clouds and wind without rain, so is a man that vaunteth falsely of a gift.
15 A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.
Hast thou found honey: eat so much as is sufficient for thee: lest thou consume too much of it, and have to vomit it forth.
17 Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.
Make thy foot scarce in the house of thy friend: lest he have too much of thee, and so hate thee.
18 One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.
A battle-axe, and a sword, and a sharpened arrow is a man that testifieth as a false witness against his neighbor.
19 Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.
Like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint, is confidence in a treacherous man in a time of distress.
20 Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart.
[As] he that taketh off his garment on a cold day, [as] vinegar is upon natron: so is he that singeth songs before an unhappy heart.
21 If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:
If thy enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.
For though thou gatherest coals of fire upon his head, yet will the Lord repay it unto thee.
23 As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.
The north wind bringeth forth rain: so doth secret talking, angry countenances.
24 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.
It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof, than with a quarrelsome woman even in a roomy house.
25 As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country.
As cold water is to a fainting soul, so are good news from a far-off country.
26 Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.
Like a turbid spring and a corrupt fountain, is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.
To eat too much honey is not good: so is it honor to set a limit to men's honor.
28 He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.
Like a city that is broken in, and is without walls: so is the man that hath no control over his spirit.
