Proverbs 25
1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed:
These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected.
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 it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
As the heavens for their height, And as the earth for its depth, So is the heart of kings unsearchable!
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
Take away the dross from the silver, And there will come forth a vessel for the founder;
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
Take away the wicked man from the presence of the king, And his throne will be established by righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, Nor set thyself 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 better is it that one should say to thee, “Come up hither!” Than that he should put thee in a lower place, In the presence of the prince whom thine eyes behold.
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 engage in a suit, Lest thou know not what to do in the end of it, When thine adversary hath put thee to shame.
9 Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, But reveal not another's secret;
10 Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, And thy infamy depart not from thee.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
A word spoken in season Is like apples of gold in figured-work of silver.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover to an attentive 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 refresheth the spirit of his masters.
14 Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
As clouds and wind without rain, So is the man that boasteth falsely of giving.
15 A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
By long forbearing is a prince appeased; And a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
Hast thou found honey? eat what is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up.
17 Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, Lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying a false testimony against his neighbor.
A battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, Is the man who beareth false witness against his neighbor.
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, So is trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.
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 taketh off a garment on a cold day, As vinegar upon nitre, So is he that singeth songs to a 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 thine 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 thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.
23 A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
As the north wind bringeth forth rain, So a backbiting tongue maketh an angry countenance.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large house.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
As cold water to the thirsty, So is good news from a far country.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man falling before the wicked.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
To eat much honey is not good; So the search of high things is weariness.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
As a city broken through and without a wall, So is he that hath no rule over his spirit.
