Proverbs 25
1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed:
These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2 The glory of God [is] to hide a thing, And the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:
7 For better [that] he has said to you, “Come up here,” Than [that] he humbles you before a noble, Whom your eyes have seen.
For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.
8 Do not go forth to strive, hurry, turn, What do you do in its latter end, When your neighbor causes you to blush?
Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame?
9 Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:
10 Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.
13 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.
As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.
14 Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.
15 A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.
16 You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.
17 Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying a false testimony against his neighbor.
One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.
20 Whoever is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on natron, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart.
21 If he who is hating you hungers, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirsts, cause him to drink water.
If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:
22 For you are putting coals on his head, And YHWH gives repayment to you.
For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.
23 A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.
