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 transcribed.
2 The glory of God [is] to hide a thing, And the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
The glory of God, is to conceal a thing, but, the glory of kings, is to search out a thing.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, but, the heart of kings, cannot be searched.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
Remove the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth, to the refiner, a vessel:
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
Remove a lawless man from before the king, that his throne, may be established in righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
Do not honour thyself before a king, nor, in the place of great men, do thou stand;
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 be said to thee, Come up hither, —than that thou be put lower down before a noble, whom thine own eyes, have beheld.
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 go forth to strive in haste, —lest [thou know not] what to do in the latter end thereof, when thy neighbour, hath put thee to shame.
9 Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
Thy contention, urge thou with thy neighbour, and, the secret of another, do not reveal:
10 Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
Lest he that heareth expose thee, and, the report concerning thee, turn not away.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
Golden fruit in figured silver baskets, is a word spoken on fitting occasion.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
A ring of gold, and a vessel of precious metal, is a wise reprover, on a hearing 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 day of harvest, is a faithful messenger to them who send him, —when, the life of his masters, he restoreth.
14 Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
Clouds and wind, when rain there is none, is the man who boasteth himself of a pretended gift.
15 A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
By long patience, is a judge persuaded, and, a soft tongue, breaketh the bone.
16 You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
Honey having found, eat to suffice thee, lest thou loathe it, and vomit it forth.
17 Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
Withhold thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, —lest he be weary of 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 hammer and a sword, and a sharpened arrow, is a man becoming a false witness against his neighbour.
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
A broken tooth and a faltering foot, is confidence in the treacherous, in the day of danger.
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 splendour of dress on a cold day—vinegar upon nitre, so is a singer with songs, unto 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 he that hateth thee hunger, 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, burning coals, shalt thou be heaping upon his head, —and, Yahweh, will repay thee.
23 A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
A north wind, bringeth forth rain, and, a face stirred with indignation, a secretive tongue.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
Better to dwell on the corner of the roof, than a quarrelsome wife, and a house in common.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is a good report from a far country.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
A fountain fouled, a spring spoiled, is a righteous man tottering before one who is lawless.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
To eat honey in abundance, is not good, nor is, searching out their own honour, an honourable thing.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
A city broken down without a wall, is a man who hath no control over his own spirit.
