Proverbs 25
1 These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings to search it out.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
3 Like the heavens are for height and the earth is for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Remove the dross from the silver and a metal worker can use the silver in his craft.
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Even so, remove wicked people from the presence of the king and his throne will be established by doing what is right.
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself in the king's presence and do not stand in the place designated for great people.
Put not forth yourself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
7 It is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman. What you have witnessed,
For better it is that it be said to you, Come up here; than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince whom your eyes have seen.
8 do not bring quickly to trial. For what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest you know not what to do in the end thereof, when your neighbor has put you to shame.
9 Argue your case between you and your neighbor himself and do not disclose another's secret,
Debate your cause with your neighbor himself; and discover not a secret to another:
10 or else the one who hears you will bring shame upon you and an evil report about you that cannot be silenced.
Lest he that hears it put you to shame, and your infamy turn not away.
11 Apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in the right situation.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 A gold ring or jewelry made of fine gold is a wise rebuke to a listening ear.
As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover on an obedient ear.
13 Like the cold of snow at harvest time is a faithful messenger for those who sent him; he brings back the life 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 refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Clouds and wind without rain is the one who boasts about a gift he does not give.
Whoever boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 With patience a ruler can be persuaded and a soft tongue can break a bone.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 If you find honey, eat just enough— otherwise, having too much of it, you vomit it up.
Have you found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 Do not set your foot in your neighbor's house too often, he may become tired of you and hate you.
Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house; lest he be weary of you, and so hate you.
18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club used in war, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
A man that bears false witness against his neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 An unfaithful man in whom you trust in a time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
20 Like a person who takes off a garment in cold weather, or like vinegar poured upon carbonate of soda, is the one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
As he that takes away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar on nitre, so is he that singes songs to an heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 for you will shovel coals of fire on his head and Yahweh will reward you.
For you shall heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD shall reward you.
23 As surely as the north wind brings rain, so a tongue that tells secrets will result in angry faces.
The north wind drives away rain: so does an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 It is better to live on a corner of the roof than in a house shared with a quarreling wife.
It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 Like cold waters to one who is thirsty, so is good news from a far country.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 Like a fouled spring or a ruined fountain is a righteous person tottering before wicked people.
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey; that is like searching for honor after honor.
It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
28 A person without self-control is like a city breached and without walls.
He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
