Proverbs 25
1 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias king of Juda copied out.
2 The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
The heaven above, and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.
6 Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.
7 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.
For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.
8 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
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 Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:
10 Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
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 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
As an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.
13 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.
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 Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfill his promises.
15 By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
By patience a prince shall be appeased, and a soft tongue shall break hardness.
16 Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
To trust to an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,
20 Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
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 he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:
22 For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.
23 A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good tidings from a far country.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
A just man falling down before the wicked, is as a fountain troubled with the foot, and a corrupted spring.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
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 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
As a city that lieth open and is not compassed with walls, so is a man that cannot refrain his own spirit in speaking.
