Proverbs 25
1 THESE ARE ALSO PARABLES of Salomon, which the men of Hezekiah King of Iudah copied out.
Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
2 The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret: but the Kings honour is to search out a thing.
The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour 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.
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
4 Take the drosse from the siluer, and there shall proceede a vessell for the finer.
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
5 Take away the wicked from the King, and his throne shall be stablished in righteousnes.
Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
6 Boast not thy selfe 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 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 [that] he hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.
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 to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
9 Debate thy matter with thy neighbour, and discouer not the secret to another,
Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
10 Least he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamie doe not cease.
Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
11 A word spoken in his place, is like apples of golde with pictures of siluer.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 He that reprooueth the wise, and the obedient eare, is as a golden earering and an ornament of fine golde.
A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the 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 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 A man that boasteth of false liberalitie, is like cloudes and winde without raine.
Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 A Prince is pacified by staying of anger, and a soft tongue breaketh the bones.
By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
16 If thou haue found hony, eate that is sufficient for thee, least thou be ouerfull, and vomit it.
Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
17 Withdrawe thy foote from thy neighbours house, least he be weary of thee, and 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 witnes against his neighbour, is like an hammer and a sword, and a sharpe arrowe.
A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
19 Confidence in an vnfaythfull man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth and a sliding foote.
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
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.
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 hee that hateth thee be hungry, giue him bread to eate, and if he be thirstie, giue him water to drinke.
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 lay coles vpon his head, and the Lord shall recompense thee.
For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
23 As the Northwinde driueth away the raine, so doeth an angry countenance the slandering tongue.
A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, then with a contentious woman in a wide house.
Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
25 As are the colde waters to a weary soule, so is good newes from a farre countery.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 A righteous man falling downe before the wicked, is like a troubled well, and a corrupt spring.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eate much hony: so to search their owne glory is not glory.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
28 A man that refraineth not his appetite, is like a citie which is broken downe and without walles.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
