Proverbs 25
1 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah 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 a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
Put not forth yourself in the presence of 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 better it is that it be said unto you, Come up here; than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince whom your eyes have seen.
8 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest you know not what to do in the end thereof, when your neighbour has put you to shame.
9 Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
Debate your cause with your neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
10 Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
Lest he that hears it put you to shame, and your ill repute turn not away.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures 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 an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an 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 them that send him: for he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
Whoso boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
15 By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
Have you found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
Withdraw your foot from your neighbour's house; lest he be weary of you, and so hate you.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
A man that bears false witness against his neighbour is a maul, 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.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
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.
As he that takes away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon alkali, so is he that sings songs to an heavy 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 your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
For you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward you.
23 A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
The north wind drives away rain: so does an angry 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 dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
