Proverbs 25
1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed:
These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
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 conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
Put not forth yourself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
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 better it is that it be said to you, Come up here; than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go forth to strive, hurry, turn, What do you do in its latter end, When your neighbor causes you to blush?
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest you know not what to do in the end thereof, when your neighbor has put you to shame.
9 Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
Debate your cause with your neighbor himself; and discover not a secret to another:
10 Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
Lest he that hears it put you to shame, and your infamy turn not away.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover on an obedient ear.
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 harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
Whoever boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
Have you found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house; lest he be weary of you, and so hate you.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying a false testimony against his neighbor.
A man that bears false witness against his neighbor is a maul, 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.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
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.
As he that takes away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar on nitre, so is he that singes songs to an heavy 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 enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For you are putting coals on his head, And YHWH gives repayment to you.
For you shall heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD shall reward you.
23 A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
The north wind drives away rain: so does an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
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 dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
