Proverbs 25
1 Here are more wise sayings/words that Solomon [wrote]. Some men who worked for Hezekiah, the king of Judah, copied them [from a scroll that Solomon had written].
These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias king of Juda copied out.
2 [We consider] God to be great because he (acts in mysterious ways/does things that we cannot understand); [we consider] kings to be great because they explain things.
It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.
3 [It is not possible for anyone to measure] how high the sky is or how deep the earth/ocean is; likewise [SIM], it is not possible for us to know [all] that kings are thinking.
The heaven above, and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 [If workers] burn out the impure bits that are in silver, a man who makes things from silver can make something beautiful from the silver.
Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:
5 [Similarly, if] wicked [advisors] are taken away from a king, his government will remain secure, because [the king will be able to] act justly.
Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.
6 When you stand in front of a king, do not try to (impress him/honor yourself) and do not (act like you are important/ask to sit where important people sit; )
Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.
7 it is better if someone tells you to sit closer [to the king] than for [someone to tell you], while the king is listening, to sit further away in order that someone who is more important [may sit closer to the king].
For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.
8 Do not quickly go to a court [to tell the judge about] something that you have seen, because another witness may later [say something that proves that you are wrong, and as a result] you will be disgraced/ashamed. If that happens, (what will you do?/you will not know what to do.) [RHQ]
The things which thy eyes have seen, utter not hastily in a quarrel: lest afterward thou mayst not be able to make amends, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.
9 If you and someone else think differently about some matter, settle it between yourselves, and do not tell others any secret [that he has told you].
Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:
10 If others find out that you have told secrets, you will be ashamed, and from that time on, (you will have a bad reputation/people will think badly about you).
Lest he insult over thee, when he hath heard it, and cease not to upbraid thee. Grace and friendship deliver a man: keep these for thyself, lest thou fall under reproach.
11 Something that is said that is [very] appropriate is [as delightful as seeing] [SIM] gold apples/ornaments in a silver bowl.
To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.
12 When a wise person rebukes/warns someone [SYN] who is willing to listen, that is [as valuable as] [SIM] a gold ring or a gold chain.
As an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.
13 A messenger who (is reliable/tells someone else exactly what he was told to say) refreshes [the spirits of] his bosses who sent him like [SIM] (snow/cold water) refreshes [the ground] at the time that [people] harvest crops.
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him, for he refresheth his soul.
14 When someone promises to give a gift to us but never gives it, [that disappoints us] as much as [SIM] clouds and wind that come but do not bring any rain.
As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfill his promises.
15 If someone keeps requesting a ruler long enough to do something, he will [often] agree to do it; similarly, by speaking [MTY] gently we can [often] convince [others that what we say is right] [IDM].
By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
16 If you find some honey, do not eat a lot of it, because doing that may cause you to vomit.
Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.
17 Do not go to your neighbor’s house very often [to talk with him]; if you go [very] often, he will get tired of listening to you and start to hate you.
Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.
18 To falsely accuse others [in court] is like [SIM] [attacking them with] a war-club or a sword or a sharp arrow.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.
19 Depending on unreliable people when you have troubles is [as bad] as [trying to eat when] you have a bad/hurting tooth or [trying to walk when] your foot is crippled.
To trust to an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,
20 Singing to someone who is depressed [just causes him to feel worse]; it is like [SIM] taking off clothes on a very cold day or like putting vinegar on a wound.
And one that looseth his garment in cold weather. As vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a very evil heart. As a moth doth by a garment, and a worm by the wood: so the sadness of a man consumeth the heart.
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink;
If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:
22 doing that will cause them to feel ashamed [IDM], and Yahweh will reward you for doing that.
For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.
23 When wind blows from the right direction, it will rain; [similarly] [SIM], if we gossip about others, that causes them to look at us very angrily.
The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 It is better to live ([alone/by yourself]) in the corner of an attic/housetop than to live inside the house with a wife who is [always] nagging.
It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.
25 Receiving good news from a country far away refreshes our spirits like [SIM] cold water refreshes us when we are very thirsty.
As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good tidings from a far country.
26 When a righteous/good person (gives in/yields) to wicked [people], that is [as bad] as [SIM] a spring that becomes muddied or a fountain that becomes polluted.
A just man falling down before the wicked, is as a fountain troubled with the foot, and a corrupted spring.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey, and trying to get people to praise you is also not good.
As it is not good for a man to eat much honey, so he that is a searcher of majesty, shall be overwhelmed by glory.
28 People who (cannot control their tempers/quickly become very angry) [are unable to defend their behavior]; that is like [having] a city without a wall around it, [with the result that no one can defend it].
As a city that lieth open and is not compassed with walls, so is a man that cannot refrain his own spirit in speaking.
