Proverbs 25
1 THESE ARE ALSO PARABLES of Salomon, which the men of Hezekiah King of Iudah copied out.
These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected.
2 The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret: but the Kings honour is to search out a thing.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.
3 The heaues in height, and the earth in deepenes, and the Kings heart can no man search out.
As the heavens for their height, And as the earth for its depth, So is the heart of kings unsearchable!
4 Take the drosse from the siluer, and there shall proceede a vessell for the finer.
Take away the dross from the silver, And there will come forth a vessel for the founder;
5 Take away the wicked from the King, and his throne shall be stablished in righteousnes.
Take away the wicked man from the presence of the king, And his throne will be established by righteousness.
6 Boast not thy selfe before the King, and stand not 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 it be saide vnto thee, Come vp hither, then thou to be put lower in the presece of the prince whom thine eyes haue seene.
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 Goe not foorth hastily to strife, least thou know not what to doe in the ende thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee 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 Debate thy matter with thy neighbour, and discouer not the secret to another,
Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, But reveal not another's secret;
10 Least he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamie doe not cease.
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, And thy infamy depart not from thee.
11 A word spoken in his place, is like apples of golde with pictures of siluer.
A word spoken in season Is like apples of gold in figured-work of silver.
12 He that reprooueth the wise, and the obedient eare, is as a golden earering and an ornament of fine golde.
As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover to an attentive ear.
13 As the colde of the snowe in the time of haruest, so is a faithfull messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soule 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 A man that boasteth of false liberalitie, is like cloudes and winde without raine.
As clouds and wind without rain, So is the man that boasteth falsely of giving.
15 A Prince is pacified by staying of anger, and a soft tongue breaketh the bones.
By long forbearing is a prince appeased; And a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 If thou haue found hony, eate that is sufficient for thee, least thou be ouerfull, and vomit it.
Hast thou found honey? eat what is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up.
17 Withdrawe thy foote from thy neighbours house, least he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, Lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee.
18 A man that beareth false witnes against his neighbour, is like an hammer and a sword, and a sharpe arrowe.
A battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, Is the man who beareth false witness against his neighbor.
19 Confidence in an vnfaythfull man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth and a sliding foote.
As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, So is trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.
20 Hee that taketh away the garment in the colde season, is like vineger powred vpon nitre, or like him that singeth songs to an heauy 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 hee that hateth thee be hungry, giue him bread to eate, and if he be thirstie, giue him water to drinke.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For thou shalt lay coles vpon his head, and the Lord shall recompense thee.
For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.
23 As the Northwinde driueth away the raine, so doeth an angry countenance the slandering tongue.
As the north wind bringeth forth rain, So a backbiting tongue maketh an angry countenance.
24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, then with a contentious woman in a wide house.
Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large house.
25 As are the colde waters to a weary soule, so is good newes from a farre countery.
As cold water to the thirsty, So is good news from a far country.
26 A righteous man falling downe before the wicked, is like a troubled well, and a corrupt spring.
As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man falling before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eate much hony: so to search their owne glory is not glory.
To eat much honey is not good; So the search of high things is weariness.
28 A man that refraineth not his appetite, is like a citie which is broken downe and without walles.
As a city broken through and without a wall, So is he that hath no rule over his spirit.
