Proverbs 25
1 These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected.
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 it is the glory of kings 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.
As the heavens for their height, And as the earth for its depth, So is the heart of kings 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 will come forth a vessel for the founder;
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 man from the presence of the king, And his throne will be established by righteousness.
6 Do not honor yourself in the king's presence and do not stand in the place designated for great people.
Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, Nor set thyself in the place of the great;
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 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.
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 engage in a suit, Lest thou know not what to do in the end of it, When thine adversary hath put thee to shame.
9 Argue your case between you and your neighbor himself and do not disclose another's secret,
Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, But reveal not another's secret;
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 heareth it put thee to shame, And thy infamy depart not from thee.
11 Apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in the right situation.
A word spoken in season Is like apples of gold in figured-work of silver.
12 A gold ring or jewelry made of fine gold is a wise rebuke to a listening ear.
As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover to an attentive 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 refresheth the spirit of his masters.
14 Clouds and wind without rain is the one who boasts about a gift he does not give.
As clouds and wind without rain, So is the man that boasteth falsely of giving.
15 With patience a ruler can be persuaded and a soft tongue can break a bone.
By long forbearing is a prince appeased; And a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 If you find honey, eat just enough— otherwise, having too much of it, you vomit it up.
Hast thou found honey? eat what is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up.
17 Do not set your foot in your neighbor's house too often, he may become tired of you and hate you.
Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, Lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee.
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 battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, Is the man who beareth false witness against his neighbor.
19 An unfaithful man in whom you trust in a time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, So is trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.
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 taketh off a garment on a cold day, As vinegar upon nitre, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
If thine 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 thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.
23 As surely as the north wind brings rain, so a tongue that tells secrets will result in angry faces.
As the north wind bringeth forth rain, So a backbiting tongue maketh an angry countenance.
24 It is better to live on a corner of the roof than in a house shared with a quarreling wife.
Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large house.
25 Like cold waters to one who is thirsty, so is good news from a far country.
As cold water to the thirsty, 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.
As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man falling before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey; that is like searching for honor after honor.
To eat much honey is not good; So the search of high things is weariness.
28 A person without self-control is like a city breached and without walls.
As a city broken through and without a wall, So is he that hath no rule over his spirit.
