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 also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah 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 a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
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 for height, and the earth for depth, 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 dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner;
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 the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
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; )
Glorify not thyself in the presence of 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 better is it that it be said unto thee: 'Come up hither', than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen.
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]
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
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].
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour, but reveal not the secret of another;
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 that heareth it revile thee, and thine infamy turn not away.
11 Something that is said that is [very] appropriate is [as delightful as seeing] [SIM] gold apples/ornaments in a silver bowl.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings 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 ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an 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 sendeth him; for he refresheth the soul of his master.
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 vapours and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift.
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 long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 If you find some honey, do not eat a lot of it, because doing that may cause you to vomit.
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
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.
Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour's house; lest he be sated with thee, and 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.
As a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, so is a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour.
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.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
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.
As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink;
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty, 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 wilt heap coals of fire 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 bringeth forth rain, and a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
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 dwell in a corner of the housetop, than in a house in common with a contentious woman.
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 waters to a faint soul, so is good news 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.
As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, so is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey, and trying to get people to praise you is also not good.
It is not good to eat much honey; so for men to search out their own glory is not 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].
Like a city broken down and without a wall, so is he whose spirit is without restraint.
