Proverbs 25
1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected.
Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But it is the glory of kings 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 the heavens for their height, And as the earth for its depth, So is the heart of kings 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 founder;
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
5 Take away the wicked man from the presence of the king, And his throne will be established by righteousness.
Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
6 Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, Nor set thyself in the place of the great;
Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
7 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.
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 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.
Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
9 Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, But reveal not another's secret;
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 depart not from thee.
Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
11 A word spoken in season Is like apples of gold in figured-work of silver.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover to an attentive ear.
A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
13 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.
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 As clouds and wind without rain, So is the man that boasteth falsely of giving.
Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 By long forbearing is a prince appeased; 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 what is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up.
Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
17 Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, Lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
18 A battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, Is the man who beareth 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 As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, So is trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
20 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.
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 thine 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 thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.
For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
23 As the north wind bringeth forth rain, So a backbiting tongue maketh an angry countenance.
A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
24 Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large 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 to the thirsty, So is good news from a far country.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man falling before the wicked.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
27 To eat much honey is not good; So the search of high things is weariness.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
28 As a city broken through and without a wall, So is he that hath no rule over his spirit.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
