Proverbs 25
1 These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias king of Juda copied out.
These are also proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed:
2 It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.
The glory of God [is] to hide a thing, And the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
3 The heaven above, and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
4 Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
5 Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.
Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
6 Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.
Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
7 For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.
For better [that] he has said to you, “Come up here,” Than [that] he humbles you before a noble, Whom your eyes have seen.
8 The things which thy eyes have seen, utter not hastily in a quarrel: lest afterward thou mayst not be able to make amends, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.
Do not go forth to strive, hurry, turn, What do you do in its latter end, When your neighbor causes you to blush?
9 Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:
Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
10 Lest he insult over thee, when he hath heard it, and cease not to upbraid thee. Grace and friendship deliver a man: keep these for thyself, lest thou fall under reproach.
Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
11 To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 As an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.
A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him, for he refresheth his soul.
As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfill his promises.
Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
16 Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.
You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
17 Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.
Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.
A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying a false testimony against his neighbor.
19 To trust to an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
20 And one that looseth his garment in cold weather. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a very evil heart. As a moth doth by a garment, and a worm by the wood: so the sadness of a man consumeth the heart.
Whoever is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on natron, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
21 If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:
If he who is hating you hungers, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirsts, cause him to drink water.
22 For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.
For you are putting coals on his head, And YHWH gives repayment to you.
23 The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.
A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
24 It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.
Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
25 As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good tidings from a far country.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 A just man falling down before the wicked, is as a fountain troubled with the foot, and a corrupted spring.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
27 As it is not good for a man to eat much honey, so he that is a searcher of majesty, shall be overwhelmed by glory.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
28 As a city that lieth open and is not compassed with walls, so is a man that cannot refrain his own spirit in speaking.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
