Proverbs 25
1 Also these are the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah the king of Judah have collected.
Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
2 It is the honor of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
3 As are the heavens for height, and the earth is for depth, so should the heart of kings be 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 will come forth a vessel for the melter.
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be firmly established in righteousness.
Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
6 Do not glorify thyself in the presence of the king, and force thyself not into the place of great men;
Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
7 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.
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 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.
Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
9 Carry on thy cause with thy neighbor; but lay not open the secret of another:
Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thy infamy never be removed.
Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
11 Like apples of gold among figures of silver is a word spoken in a proper manner.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 As an earring of gold, and a pendant of fine gold, so is a wise reprover toward an ear that listeneth.
A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
13 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.
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 Like clouds and wind without rain, so is a man that vaunteth falsely of a gift.
Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh bones.
By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
16 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.
Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
17 Make thy foot scarce in the house of thy friend: lest he have too much of thee, and so hate thee.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
18 A battle-axe, and a sword, and a sharpened arrow is a man that testifieth as a false witness against his neighbor.
A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
19 Like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint, is confidence in a treacherous man in a time of distress.
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
20 [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.
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 bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, 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 though thou gatherest coals of fire upon his head, yet will the Lord repay it unto thee.
For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
23 The north wind bringeth forth rain: so doth secret talking, angry countenances.
A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
24 It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof, than with a quarrelsome woman even in a roomy 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 is to a fainting soul, so are good news from a far-off country.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 Like a turbid spring and a corrupt fountain, is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
27 To eat too much honey is not good: so is it honor to set a limit to men's honor.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
28 Like a city that is broken in, and is without walls: so is the man that hath no control over his spirit.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
