Proverbs 25
1 These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
Also these are the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah the king of Judah have collected.
2 God's greatness is in doing things that can't be known, while the greatness of kings is in revealing things.
It is the honor of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
3 Just as the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth can't be known, the king's thinking can't be known.
As are the heavens for height, and the earth is for depth, so should the heart of kings be unsearchable.
4 Remove the waste from the silver, and the silversmith has pure silver to work with.
Take away the dross from the silver, and there will come forth a vessel for the melter.
5 Remove the wicked from the king's presence and the king will rule securely and justly.
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be firmly established in righteousness.
6 Don't try to make yourself look great before the king, and don't pretend to be among the important people,
Do not glorify thyself in the presence of the king, and force thyself not into the place of great men;
7 for it's better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be humiliated before a nobleman. Even though you've seen something with your own eyes,
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 don't rush to take legal action, for what are you going to do in the end when your neighbor shows you're wrong and humiliates you?
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 Discuss the case with your neighbor himself, and don't betray someone else's secret,
Carry on thy cause with thy neighbor; but lay not open the secret of another:
10 otherwise whoever hears it will make you ashamed and you'll never lose your bad reputation.
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thy infamy never be removed.
11 Advice given at the right time is like golden apples set in silver.
Like apples of gold among figures of silver is a word spoken in a proper manner.
12 Constructive criticism from the wise to someone who listens is like a gold ring and a necklace of fine gold.
As an earring of gold, and a pendant of fine gold, so is a wise reprover toward an ear that listeneth.
13 Faithful messengers are as refreshing to their master as cold snow on a hot harvest day.
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 Someone who boasts about a gift they never give is like cloud and wind without rain.
Like clouds and wind without rain, so is a man that vaunteth falsely of a gift.
15 If you're patient you can persuade your superior, and soft words can break down opposition.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 If you find honey, eat just enough, for if you eat too much, you'll be sick.
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 Don't set foot in your neighbors' homes too often, otherwise they'll get fed up with you and hate you.
Make thy foot scarce in the house of thy friend: lest he have too much of thee, and so hate thee.
18 Telling lies in court against a friend is like attacking them with a mace, or a sword, or an arrow.
A battle-axe, and a sword, and a sharpened arrow is a man that testifieth as a false witness against his neighbor.
19 Trusting in unreliable people in times of trouble is like eating with a broken tooth or walking on a bad foot.
Like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint, is confidence in a treacherous man in a time of distress.
20 Singing happy songs to someone who's broken-hearted is like taking off your coat on a cold day, or pouring vinegar onto an open wound.
[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 enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he's thirsty, give him a drink of water.
If thy enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 This will make him ashamed as if he had burning coals piled on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
For though thou gatherest coals of fire upon his head, yet will the Lord repay it unto thee.
23 In the same way that the north wind brings rain, slandering people makes them angry.
The north wind bringeth forth rain: so doth secret talking, angry countenances.
24 It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof, than with a quarrelsome woman even in a roomy house.
25 Good news from a distant country is like cold water to an exhausted traveler.
As cold water is to a fainting soul, so are good news from a far-off country.
26 Good people who give in to the wicked are like a muddied spring or a polluted well.
Like a turbid spring and a corrupt fountain, is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
27 It's not good to eat too much honey, or to want too much praise.
To eat too much honey is not good: so is it honor to set a limit to men's honor.
28 Someone without control is as exposed as a town whose walls have been breached.
Like a city that is broken in, and is without walls: so is the man that hath no control over his spirit.
