Proverbs 25
1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah 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 a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
The glory of God [is] to hide a thing, And the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, 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 dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of 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 better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
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 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
Do not go forth to strive, hurry, turn, What do you do in its latter end, When your neighbor causes you to blush?
9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an 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 them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
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 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so 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 a maul, 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 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy 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 thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, 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 coals of fire upon his head, And Yhwh shall reward thee.
For you are putting coals on his head, And YHWH gives repayment to you.
23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and 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 cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
