Proverbs 25
1 These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias king of Juda copied out.
Also these are 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 honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings 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 for the refiner goeth forth,
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 established in righteousness is his throne.
6 Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.
Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
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 hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine 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.
Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
9 Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:
Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
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 thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not 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 the soul of his masters he refresheth.
14 As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfill his promises.
Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
16 Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.
Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
17 Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
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 against his neighbour a false testimony.
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.
Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, 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 thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
22 For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.
For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
23 The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.
A north wind bringeth 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 honour — honour.
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!
